The Druid Who Devoured the Great Nature

“The interrogation results are out.”

The harvest reaped by the Public Security Bureau was delivered to me through Reina.

“All I handed over was the mage’s head, so how can you call it an interrogation?”

“The Public Security Bureau had a hard time with that too. Doctors, engineers, brain scientists, necromancers, black mages… they even borrowed the connections of us brokers to recruit various personnel. They forcibly connected nerves to revive the body and went through a necromancy ritual, and as a result, they asked him directly, so isn’t it right to call it an interrogation?”

As expected of the Public Security Bureau.

They had finally found a way to deal with what could only be described as human remains.

Should I feel sorry for the old man who couldn’t find rest even in death?

No, he must have been prepared.

That’s what it meant to stand against the city government.

Reina continued.

“The organization’s name is Al-Raid, and the total number of members is estimated to be two hundred. The number of executives is five, including the mage McDonald whom you almost captured, and above them is a leader named Jordan Crank. Their purpose is obviously the chaos of the city and the collapse of the social system, but… the thoughts of the underlings and the thoughts of the one at the top are different, aren’t they? Whether he wants to line his own pockets or something else, only Jordan Crank himself would know.”

Familiar names and organizational charts were neatly written and organized on a blackboard.

The composite sketches were natural, without any awkward parts, as if they had been brought from actual photographs.

Only the picture of the leader, Jordan Crank, was peculiar.

Was it accidentally taken by a CCTV camera in some building?

The man’s face, magnified among a crowd of people, was so blurry that even his facial features were indistinguishable.

‘Have they already dug this far?’

In the previous playthrough, it was a secret that had been found out after years of investigation.

Considering the capabilities of the Public Security Bureau, they had gone through an unusually hard time.

‘And a certain security officer almost blew away the achievement that would have filled a gap of several years.’

It was a good thing it was a mistake; if it had been intentional, it would have been an act of espionage.

“Additionally, according to the opinion of the forensic scientist who examined McDonald’s magic, there are traces of a corporation’s touch. It’s a pity that they couldn’t find out which side had a hand in it because the pattern was twisted so professionally.”

“Are you saying there was organized corporate intervention?”

“Well, it’s not as if mages have no connection with corporations, like in the old days when they were holed up in the mountains.”

“Couldn’t you have just asked him?”

“The forensic results came out last. It was after we had already sent the forcibly summoned spirit on its way to the underworld.”

If it was true, I could understand the city government’s blunder of being miserably destroyed by a mere terrorist organization.

Even the fact that the corporation’s influence had been amplified as a result.

‘Probably, if just one year had passed, the Public Security Bureau investigator wouldn’t have found the connection with the corporation.’

Just as the Public Security Bureau had not suspected it in the previous several playthroughs.

The skills of the old man, McDonald, were not to be ignored.

Even I wouldn’t have been able to catch their tail so early if the Whisper of Mother Nature hadn’t been activated.

“Did you find their headquarters?”

“They say their headquarters is in an unauthorized building in District 5, where they moved in after forging documents. Since their actual activities were underground, it would have looked normal on the outside and wouldn’t have aroused suspicion.”

It was an act that openly mocked the inspections.

Indeed, their actions of making a fool of the city government were not a coincidence.

The reason the calculations went wrong was because of my existence, who had joined the Public Security Bureau.

“The operation date has been set for two days from now. There will be no changes, so be prepared.”

“Isn’t that too rushed?”

“Is there a need to drag it out for a long time? The entire force of the Public Security Bureau deployed in the current operation will rush in at once. You’re included too.”

Finally, the Public Security Bureau had assigned me a proper mission.

The amount of pay was not something that could be covered by just doing my part with inspections, so this operation was the reason the Public Security Bureau had reached out to a contractor.

“The order is to move with a security officer and take down the executives of Al-Raid. The relevant details will be given in more detail on site, so…”

“No.”

I stopped Reina’s words.

“I will not participate in the operation.”

“……”

Reina’s face hardened.

“Hey, it’s troublesome if you suddenly act like this. Did you work like this under Cromwell too? Whether you suddenly want to back out or want to assert yourself to the client, it’s unacceptable against the military.”

“I was the one who captured the key witness. I think I can make this much of a demand.”

“……Right, that matter hasn’t been put on the negotiating table yet. I could try to talk about it. If the condition is that you completely withdraw from this matter and get on the military’s blacklist, then I, who am speaking, would also save face.”

“I’m not saying I’ll just play around, claiming I’ve done my part because I’ve made a contribution.”

I was a modern person with a conscience.

Above all, this was the first request with the military as a client, a connection that was as hard to get as plucking a star from the sky.

I had no intention of devaluing myself when I should be showing off and proving my competence.

“Then what do you mean?”

“It’s related to the request for a Public Security Bureau security officer to be present.”

“……?”

Hazel, who had been quietly eating snacks on the side, was startled and lifted her head.

Ohm-nom-nom.

Her two cheeks were puffed up like a hamster’s.

Reina sighed at that pathetic sight and ordered her bodyguard to replenish the snacks.

“……I was wondering why you specifically brought this glutton to a briefing she wouldn’t even understand.”

“I have a place to go with her. I’ve already agreed with her, so you just have to convey the situation to the Public Security Bureau.”

“Are you asking me to do the work? I want to say do it yourself, but… you probably can’t.”

Reina, knowing Hazel’s notoriety, gave up and yielded.

“So, what do you want to do with a Public Security Bureau security officer?”

“McDonald was using a doping agent. Considering that all his disciples also had one each, it must be a supply.”

The hypothesis that McDonald had distributed it to his disciples was not persuasive.

The master-disciple relationship of a street mage is worse than that of a professor and a graduate student.

It would have been a relationship where they were busy exploiting each other to the point where not even oil would come out if squeezed.

Since he had said it was a plan to bring down a skyscraper, it was highly likely that it was a support item from the organization to assist with that.

“Since it’s a terrorist organization’s doping agent, it must be a substance close to a drug, so it must be a direct market. As you know, finding the location of those places is an extremely difficult task. With the Public Security Bureau’s capabilities focused on this operation, they won’t have the capacity to help with that too.”

“I know the dealer who sold that item.”

“……How competent of you. But there’s still a problem. Will the broker hand over information about the buyer?”

It was a funny fact, but the more illegal the goods being traded, the more they pursued trust.

The business was established under the tacit promise that both the buyer and the seller would keep their mouths shut.

“He will.”

I answered definitively.

“I just need to go with someone from the Public Security Bureau. Especially if it’s a security officer, the core of the Public Security Bureau’s personnel.”

“Right, well, you must have said it because you’re confident. But what’s the point of that? We can just wipe them out on the day of the operation anyway.”

“You said the forensic scientist’s opinion was that they found traces of a corporation’s touch.”

Reina, who had been thinking for a moment, twitched the facial muscles on the side with the eyepatch.

“……Aha, you think it might be related to that.”

“If I find anything after shaking them down, I’ll conduct a separate operation with the security officer.”

“That’s a good idea. If that was your intention, I’ll assist you without any complaints.”

Reina’s sullen tone brightened up a notch.

“While I’m at it, I apologize. I had secretly misunderstood that a rookie was getting arrogant and overstepping his bounds.”

“That’s the nature of a soldier. You want them to just do as they’re told and not cause trouble, right?”

“As you said, a soldier demands that his subordinates just do as they’re told and be loyal, but the standard is different for outsiders.”

That’s when a contractor is needed.

“They want you to see what a rigid organization can’t see and do what they can’t do. If you bring results, the Public Security Bureau will look favorably on you.”

Since Reina, a former soldier, had a higher favorability towards me, it probably wasn’t an empty statement.

***

As soon as the discussion with Reina was over, I headed to the direct market with Hazel as my companion.

She showed no particular reaction to the hazy steam that filled the alley.

Of course, she must have been to all sorts of strange places while working as a security officer.

However, it was different when she discovered the addicts sprawled on the street.

“These people…?”

“As you can see, they’re drug addicts.”

“……”

Hazel’s hand slowly reached for her pocket.

A metallic clinking sound.

“I don’t think there’s a law in the Public Security Bureau that says you have to arrest drug addicts when you find them.”

“It’s customary to secure them as witnesses to find the location of the direct market.”

“We’re going there because we already know the location of that direct market. In the first place, it’s a place the Public Security Bureau already knows about. They’re just leaving it alone.”

“……They know?”

Hazel flinched like a troublesome child who had been stopped by her parents.

“They know, but they don’t catch them.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s a legal business.”

He said so himself, so it must be true.

And indeed, as if they weren’t worried about a crackdown or anything, there was no tension, the characteristic atmosphere of a direct market, here.

“Hmm.”

Hazel followed me with a disappointed look.

Apart from being lacking and clumsy, she was a motivated person.

“If your hands are itching, hold it in. There will be work to do soon.”

“Okay.”

When making a plan, one should always assume the worst.

Considering what I was about to do, she would be a great help.

Creak!

As I remembered, I opened the inner door and went inside.

It was the same scene as when I had visited last time, as if time had stopped.

Numerous display cases, decorative shelves, drawers, and the old man.

“Welcome. You’ve come with a new guest this time.”

Bordon smiled kindly.

He was gripping a necklace with a strange pattern tightly with both hands.

Was he in the middle of a religious activity?

I swallowed the words, ‘He does all sorts of things.’

“Did the product from last time suit your taste?”

“I’m using it well. If you’ve brought in any other products besides that, I’d like to take a look.”

“Unfortunately, many of the items have been discontinued. Instead, I have prepared a generous stock of the existing products.” Follow current novels on novel✶fire.net

“Is that so?”

After examining the products, I paid the price and made a transaction.

Although it was only my second experience, the effect was satisfactory.

I wouldn’t regret stocking up generously.

In the middle of exchanging the goods, Bordon suddenly grabbed my finger and suggested in a subtle voice.

“There are many better products if you just change the raw material. Would you like to try one?”

A sticky gaze that examined the reaction of my pupils.

It was an intention to see how addicted I had become.

Did he expect me to have become a wreck?

I thought that the product I had purchased might have been more toxic than described.

I didn’t act as he expected.

I just smirked as if I knew everything.

“If there’s another product that hasn’t had its raw material changed, I’ll consider it.”

“……I’ll see what I can do.”

Bordon licked his lips and swallowed his disappointment.

Even if he pretended to be a monk and sang of faith, his nature wouldn’t change.

Because he was that kind of person, he had become a broker.

It was fine.

I hadn’t come with good intentions either.

“What business does the guest next to you have?”

Bordon turned his arrow towards Hazel.

“I haven’t done anything to get on the bad side of a Public Security Bureau security officer.”

Although he acted like a kind person, there was a sharpness he couldn’t hide.

No matter how confidently he acted, as if he had nothing to worry about, it seemed he felt a sense of unease in front of a security officer.

It wasn’t something I couldn’t understand, as it was human nature to feel uncomfortable when you see a police officer, even if you’ve lived a conscientious life.

“Or, has the security officer finally fallen head over heels for this noble hobby? That’s… a blessing. It must be the will of the heavens.”

“……”

Hazel blinked at me.

It meant, ‘Can I arrest him?’

I shook my head.

The corners of her mouth drooped.

I raised my eyebrows as if to say, ‘Don’t be disappointed yet.’

I wasn’t saying not to do it.

‘It just means not yet.’

(End of Chapter)