Chapter 5: First Mission: Manpasikjeok

Report.

Name: Kim Jae-in (assumed to be an alias, judged to have a very poor naming sense).

Nationality: Korean.

Through direct conversation, it was determined that he is not from abroad.

He had the typical appearance of a native (not particularly handsome, well, maybe a little handsome).

Spoke very fluent Korean.

It is possible that he received professional training, but his speech did not sound like that of a trained person, so it is judged that his first place of origin is Korea.

Age: 24.

Again, this is the age on his ID, so it’s not certain.

However, judging from his living environment and behavior, it is unlikely to be significantly different (still, he looks older than 24, estimated to be in his early to mid-30s).

Ability type: Manifested.

Presumed to be a mental type, cognitive manipulation.

Further analysis is needed.

In addition, it was confirmed that he possesses A+ rank physical ability, which is high even within the Great Knight class.

Judging from the fact that he caught a tool thrown at him and immediately used it as a weapon, his reflexes and combat sense are quite good (judging from the fact that he casually beat a woman, he is presumed to be belligerent or psychopathic).

Below…..

The Special Missions Department people gathered again in the meeting room due to the report of the suddenly discovered manifestation.

They all held a report with the above contents in their hands, and each had a serious expression, as if they were deep in thought.

Among them, the face of Chan-seok, the Special Missions Department’s director, was especially remarkable.

Gritting his teeth, he quietly put down the report and spoke to Ga-ram and Jang-hyeok.

“It’s all good.

Yes, manifestations are those who appear out of the blue, so I understand that the report is sudden.

But-“

What the f*ck is this () aside?

A report that should contain only the most objective information is filled with personal feelings, not just a spoonful or two, but a whole bucketful.

When Jang-hyeok subtly nodded to indicate that it wasn’t him but Ga-ram who wrote it.

Chan-seok’s tiger-like gaze immediately turned to her.

Ga-ram, feeling guilty, was sweating profusely and avoiding eye contact.

“You little.

The team leader of the crime response team!”

“Ah, I really almost died, okay?!

It’s not like I wasn’t, but if it weren’t for me, I would have died!

Do you want to try getting hit by a door and diving from the 23rd floor!!”

“Damn, if you had met him nicely, why did you have to kick the door?”

“It’s obvious.

A hundred percent, that woman went in yelling ‘FBI open up!’ or something like that.”

“Ugh!”

“Really……”

“W…well, it was to show the dignity of our Special Missions Department to a clueless manifestation who uses their powers indiscriminately…..!”

“You seem to be the one who’s clueless?”

“Dignity, my ass.

Someone give her some ice for her cheek.”

“Sigh~~ I knew she would cause trouble someday.

Still, it’s a relief that she came back relatively cheap.”

It was indeed cheap.

Because the person who caused the accident was actually a godslayer, a Devil King.

If they had known this, even if she had come back alive, she would have been put in a punching bag and beaten up.

Anyway, let’s stop the scolding here.

Everyone started talking about the real important issue, Jae-in’s declaration of becoming a freelancer.

“Hmm….working as a freelancer.

Is there really no way to bring him in?

It’s such a waste.”

As expected, Director Chan-seok didn’t seem too pleased.

It was understandable, as Jae-in was clearly an A-class talent.

A manifestation whose ability’s growth potential was guaranteed.

Moreover, a mental-type ability that is extremely useful for them, where secrecy is the default.

Even top-tier physical abilities.

In Korea, there are really only a handful of talents like this.

And it’s not just about his abilities.

Judging from the conversation with Jang-hyeok, his personality seems to be quite decent.

In this line of work, many people have good abilities but have flaws in their personality or character, like the team leader of the Special Missions Department’s crime team.

If you consider the reason for Ga-ram’s door slap.

Jae-in’s personality was also top-notch.

The fact that he didn’t use his mental-type ability on Jang-hyeok proves it.

“Is there no way to persuade him again?

Money is money, but that can’t be all we have to offer?”

Due to its nature, the Special Missions Department has considerable extrajudicial powers.

Ga-ram joked that they didn’t need a warrant, but this isn’t a lie, it’s true.

They went to meet him secretly without the other team leaders, but a warrant?

They could get one whenever they wanted.

Even if Jae-in hadn’t committed any crime.

His business card says he’s a prosecutor, but his actual authority is much higher.

In addition, they can mobilize police forces with a single phone call to control civilians.

The same goes for controlling the press and mass media.

If it’s a site based overseas, it might take some time.

But even they would take care of it on their own if the reason is to maintain the secrecy of supernatural powers, even if the Special Missions Department doesn’t move.

Secrecy is an ironclad rule for all countries around the world, no matter what.

If this is violated, the Greenwich Council of Sages, which is considered to oversee all those who manage supernatural powers, will take action.

Then, there will be a bloodbath, regardless of whether you are a politician or a chaebol.

They were a real-life SCP management agency.

This is the kind of group he would be joining.

As Chan-seok said, money is money, but it’s not just about money.

The team leaders complained earlier that this is how they are treated.

But in reality, their treatment is actually better than anywhere else in Korea.

It’s just that they’ve been working a lot lately.

But even with Chan-seok’s words, Jang-hyeok shook his head.

“I don’t think he’ll be interested.

Judging from his recent behavior, his human relationships seem very narrow.

Above all, he seemed to dislike being interfered with by others very much.”

“Hmm……it’s such a waste….”

“Give it up, Director.

This is the MZ trend these days.”

“I…is that so?

Young people these days are difficult.”

Chan-seok dropped his head, making a sullen sound.

Although he looks like he’s in his 40s, Chan-seok has been active since before the Japanese colonial period.

Certainly, it would be difficult for him to understand young people in their 20s these days.

Of course, the team leader who spouted the MZ nonsense only looks like he’s in his 20s, but he’s actually the next oldest after the director.

Whether it’s magic or martial arts, once you go beyond a certain level and surpass human limits, aging slows down, and lifespan increases accordingly.

Thanks to this, the average age of people in this industry is quite high.

There are even a few witches in Europe who have lived for hundreds of years.

Anyway, if persuasion is not possible, there is nothing they can do.

Since he declared himself a freelancer, they have to treat him accordingly.

“Still, let’s treat him as favorably as possible.

He might not know it yet.”

Like a freelancer, but also like a prospective new recruit.

Everyone nodded in agreement with his opinion.

At a time when there is a manpower shortage.

A new recruit after a long time.

And a grade-A talent at that should be appreciated.

Even if he is just a prospective one.

Of course.

It’s a secret that the prospective new recruit will become their prospective superior in the not-too-distant future.

A few days after the declaration of becoming a freelancer.

Finally, the first request from the Special Missions Department came in.

Of course, since I’m an inexperienced freelancer, it’s nothing grand, and even to my untrained eye, it’s a fairly simple task.

It’s an assistant to an investigation, without any separate success or failure criteria.

“Hello.

I’m Seong Si-ah from the Field Analysis Team.”

“I’m Park Ha-neul from the Support Team.”

“I’m Lee Eun-ae, also from the Support Team.”

These were the three people waiting for me at the location I arrived at after receiving the call.

Since it was a bit of a long way, the woman named Seong Si-ah suggested that we get in the car first and then talk, and hurried us along.

When Si-ah and I got into the waiting van, the two people who introduced themselves as the support team sat in the front seats and immediately started the car.

Getting straight to the point, they started talking about the job.

“First of all, I would like to thank you for accepting the request.”

“There’s no need for thanks in a paid job.

Anyway, what’s the matter?

I only heard that it’s an investigation assistant.”

“Don’t worry.

It’s not a difficult task.

It’s more like a follow-up.

It’s actually already over, but we’re going to check just in case.”

Si-ah took out a few sheets of paper from the briefcase she was holding and handed them to me.

There was a picture of a stormy sea, a rocky island in the middle, and a picture that seemed to be a magnified view of the rocky island, with something that looked like a flute faintly visible in the center.

Si-ah sighed as if it was a headache even to look at it again and continued her explanation.

“It’s a relic presumed to be Manpasikjeok.

It’s already gone, though.”

“Manpasikjeok?

The Manpasikjeok I know?”

“The national treasure of Silla, belonging to the Samgipalgoe, the jade flute, Okjeok.

It is said to have been made from a bamboo that grew on the back of a turtle sent by King Munmu, who is said to have become a sea god, according to the prophecy of a dragon.

It is said that just by blowing it, it can repel enemies, cure diseases, and bring rain in a drought.

That legendary flute, yes.”

Of course, the actual flute presumed to be Manpasikjeok is kept in a museum.

It’s just an ordinary bamboo flute.

This Manpasikjeok is a Manpasikjeok that appeared due to a supernatural phenomenon.

Although it is clearly a fake, it is a object that can be considered infinitely more real than the real one.

But the strange thing is that she said it’s already gone.

When I asked what that meant.

Si-ah gritted her teeth and replied that it had already been stolen.

“Stolen?”

“Yes, thanks to that, our entire Special Missions Department was in an uproar.

These God’s Relics are not just objects, their existence itself is a kind of phenomenon, so we have to secure them very carefully.

But unfortunately, a large number of our personnel were dispatched elsewhere at that time, so we didn’t have time.”

Since the object wasn’t going anywhere, they planned to leave a minimal number of people to watch over it and secure it later.

But somehow the information leaked, and when they returned, the people they left to watch over it were killed, and Manpasikjeok was gone.

“Japan is probably the culprit.

The location of the discovery was Geoje Island, which is actually within Japan’s sphere of influence.”

“Shouldn’t we protest?”

“Even if we protest, they won’t admit it.

Besides, in Japan now…….yes, there is an existence that absolutely must not be touched.

In the past, even if we were losing, it was a close call, so they wouldn’t have dared to do such a crazy thing, but now it’s different.”

They can’t protest.

Even if it really is Japan’s doing.

Because of that one untouchable existence.

Honestly, I wanted to ask who that was.

But the expressions of Si-ah, as well as Ha-neul and Eun-ae sitting in the front, were so bad that I just kept my mouth shut.

At the same time, I felt a slight sense of relief.

‘I was right.

It’s not just Ga-ram and Jang-hyeok.’

There was an untouchable-level monster here, too.

Not pushing through with force was the right answer.

Anyway, sensing that the atmosphere had become stiff, Si-ah lightly cleared her throat to change the mood and said that what they and I had to do was very easy, since what was gone was gone.

“We are going to investigate the place where Manpasikjeok was.

As I said earlier, these God’s Relics are not just objects, but are close to phenomena, so we don’t know what happened to the place where it was.”

Of course, most of the work will be done by Si-ah, a member of the Field Analysis Team, and the support team.

My job is to run small errands in the process.

At the same time, they want me to use my ability when necessary for an accurate investigation into who took Manpasikjeok.

Since I’m also capable of combat, I’m also part of the selection as a guard.

“Think of it as gaining experience and just go with the flow.

The team leader told us to treat you well.

Our prospective ace.”

“Oh, are they still not giving up on scouting me?”

“Even if you can’t eat the persimmon, you still look at it, so there’s no need to give up, right?

So, Jae-in, if you change your mind, just let us know anytime.

Well, with your ability, I don’t think you can join our team, but if we end up working together, let’s get along.”

I didn’t feel uncomfortable even though she was so blatantly obvious.

Rather, I felt more at ease knowing the reason for her goodwill.

I don’t know about the higher-ups, but at least the people I’ve met so far don’t seem to be bad.

Even the clueless Ga-ram, although her jokes were mischievous, apologized with her head bowed after she came to her senses.

‘Anyway, Manpasikjeok……well, it doesn’t seem like things will be boring here, either.’

Thus, my first request began.