Chapter 142 : Special Agent
Chapter 142: Special Agent
“……”
The brief leisure time before the ‘Hack Tour’ content began.
As always, Baek Woohyun was perched with just his rear on a suitable nearby seat, performing a dazzling yet eerie dagger spin.
The jet-black bladed Military Dagger moved freely between his palm, the back of his hand, and between his fingers, wriggling as if it might come alive at any moment.
One interesting fact was that everyone now knew the danger possessed by Baek Woohyun’s dagger spinning, which had been considered just light time-killing.
This was because those called ‘experts’ had uploaded iTube videos analyzing it frame by frame. He had also directly demonstrated it to some extent.
Since content related to Baek Woohyun was currently the hottest topic in personal broadcasting, the danger of the dagger spinning they analyzed became known in an instant.
“……”
‘What I need to do now is—’
Of course, Baek Woohyun still didn’t care at all whether his dagger spinning became a hot topic or not.
To begin with, such repercussions were outside his interest, and now he was too busy cooperating with Isaac to stop ‘Deus’ and uncover secrets.
Just the fact that even while spinning his dagger, his head was incredibly complicated about how to proceed with the story today made that clear.
”Deus,’ no, Abrasax is cooperating with the research facility. In that case, I should consider them connected to the Corporate Alliance too.’
The research facility and Corporate Alliance were practically one and the same. If one was in a cooperative relationship with either side, it was safe to think they were naturally cooperating with the other side too.
In other words, for Baek Woohyun to catch Abrasax, he needed to mess with the research facility-Corporate Alliance to some extent.
It was a conclusion the vengeful spirits, who always cried for revenge and craved to tear their enemies to death, would welcome.
‘A way to mess with the research facility-Corporate Alliance while I also need to start operating with my Otherworld Management Bureau identity.’
He couldn’t simply conclude that he should step forward directly since they were targeting Baek Woohyun enough to send hunting dogs to catch him.
Because the situation had already changed in many ways from that time. They had failed at kidnapping twice, and suffered major damage from the war with Manmulsang.
If the research facility-Corporate Alliance had any sense, they would know now was the time to be cautious. So they wouldn’t get their tail caught being tempted by Baek Woohyun alone.
Ordinary people would have backed off at this point saying “There’s no way. I give up,” but Baek Woohyun, who had gained much experience ‘over there,’ was different.
‘The Otherworld Management Bureau had agents in charge of the underworld.’
Agents who exclusively handled classified missions called Black Ops, or Black Operations (黑色作戰), existed in the Otherworld Management Bureau.
Since the research facility-Corporate Alliance side used money as bait to control hunting dogs and committed all sorts of illegal activities, it was naturally inevitable to counter them that way.
It was impossible to fight solely in the realm of legality. The Reverse World itself was extraterritorial, beyond the reach of public authority to begin with.
‘I need to obtain Special Agent status.’
Fortunately, Baek Woohyun was in optimal condition to obtain Special Agent status.
He belonged to Team 1 with director Kim Cheol, was a Test Subject origin who couldn’t help but burn with vengeance, and even had the plausible justification of being attacked several times.
If he went straight to Kim Cheol and said he wanted to kill all the hunting dogs, there was a high possibility he would easily be selected as a Special Agent.
‘It’ll be easier since they have difficulty recruiting personnel over there.’
The Otherworld Management Bureau was already suffering from a labor shortage due to lack of people.
The number of Special Agents was very small since they were filtered and selected from there. It was even more so because becoming a Special Agent only increased hardship with no rewards.
‘Over there’ had only about a dozen or so people at most, so this side wouldn’t be much different either.
In such circumstances, it would be stranger to refuse when a truly comet-like talent appeared wanting to become a Special Agent.
—Jeong Nayeon: ㄱㄱ
Around the time Baek Woohyun had roughly decided today’s story progression direction, a message came from Jeong Nayeon. As always, it was a concise message signaling the start.
He put away the Military Dagger he’d been spinning out of habit and instead took out his work smartphone, then searched through his contacts to find Kim Cheol’s name.
Important figures were separately categorized in his contacts, so finding it wasn’t too difficult.
‘Will he answer the phone?’
Trrrrring—
The bleak default ringtone rang twice.
Soon a stiff voice came from beyond the smartphone saying “This is Otherworld Management Bureau Team 1 Leader Kim Cheol.”
“Hello, Team Leader Kim Cheol. This is Baek Woohyun.”
“Mm. What’s the matter?”
“I have something I’d like to discuss with you in person, so I contacted you first.”
“……”
Perhaps sensing an ominous sign from Baek Woohyun’s tone?
Kim Cheol beyond the smartphone didn’t answer immediately and fell silent.
Probably because several things that ‘need to be discussed in person’ came to mind, and most of them were quite unwelcome to him.
In the Otherworld Management Bureau suffering from chronic labor shortage due to corporations poaching talent, what a team member would say to a team leader in person was pretty much obvious.
‘Ah, damn.’
Baek Woohyun, who belatedly realized that fact, felt a pang, but didn’t bother saying anything more. It would be resolved when they talked directly anyway.
Moreover, depending on the situation, this also seemed usable for negotiating over Special Agent status.
“…Alright. Then come to Team 1’s conference room.”
“Understood.”
***
“What do you think he’s going to say to Team Leader Kim Cheol?”
“Usually what people say when visiting the team leader… is often about transferring affiliation to a corporation.”
—ㄹㅇ I also told my team leader I was transferring and left
—That’s how the corporate entry route starts
—Escaping the Bureau is top priority ^^
—Ah, is that why Kim Cheol was briefly quiet, thinking he’d defect?
‘LifeAchievementGeuma’ donated 1000 won!
[Kim Cheol trembling in fear that an all-time promising talent might defect ㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
—Upvote ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
—Probably cling begging him not to go ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
—You bastard right now XX
—So is Hackphysical going to a corporation now??
“Hmm… I don’t think Mr. Cheater will necessarily transfer his affiliation.”
“I think so too. There must be some other reason. Do you have anything in mind, Chloe?”
“I do. I do have something, but I’m not certain yet. But I guarantee.”
“You guarantee?”
“If my speculation is truly correct, a considerably surprising story will unfold from now on. Perhaps to the extent that the third force Manmulsang was revealed.”
***
Arriving at the conference room, Baek Woohyun could face Kim Cheol, who as before had a serious expression while reading documents in his hands.
The fact that it was always a similar composition every time he came only proved without exception how busy Team 1’s leader was.
This probably wasn’t just due to the Otherworld Management Bureau’s personnel shortage, but also played a part in Kim Cheol later rising to the position of Otherworld Management Bureau Director.
“……I’m here.”
“Sit down first.”
When Baek Woohyun sat as instructed, Kim Cheol, who put down the documents, turned his head to look at him.
It was an expression that somehow seemed to think ‘what had to come has come.’
“So, what’s the matter?”
“I want to become a Special Agent.”
“What?”
Kim Cheol’s eyes widened at the unexpected words.
He seemed quite flustered, having at most thought about consultation regarding wanting to transfer affiliation to a corporation, only to suddenly have the topic of wanting to become a Special Agent brought up.
Well, the existence of Special Agents was kept top secret, known only to a very small number even among those affiliated with the Otherworld Management Bureau, so it was unavoidable.
“I want to become a Special Agent.”
Baek Woohyun spat out the same words like driving in a wedge.
A firm will could be felt from him as he met Kim Cheol’s wavering gaze.
As if declaring he would rather leave the Otherworld Management Bureau if he couldn’t become a Special Agent.
“Special Agent? It seems you’ve picked up some strange rumor, but at the Otherworld Management Bureau—”
“—Team Leader Kim Cheol.”
Tak.
Baek Woohyun, who interrupted Kim Cheol’s words, placed the agent badge he’d removed from his combat uniform collar just before entering the conference room on the desk.
The badge with an elaborate Otherworld Management Bureau logo sparkled alone under the fluorescent light.
It was an action whose meaning was obvious.
“……”
“……”
In the heavily settled silence, the two people, Baek Woohyun and Kim Cheol, stared at each other.
Kim Cheol was the first to speak.
“…Are you threatening me right now?”
“No. This is just an expression of will.”
“Just an expression of will.”
“And it’s also an action for the Otherworld Management Bureau’s sake above all.”
“How so?”
“Because the Otherworld Management Bureau shouldn’t be entangled in the actions I’ll commit from now on.”
Baek Woohyun’s two eyes, which had turned to Inverted Eyes at some point, gleamed with thick killing intent.
It was a gaze that conveyed without words what he would do from now on, and why that shouldn’t be entangled with the Otherworld Management Bureau.
Kim Cheol clearly felt it too, so he no longer denied the existence of Special Agents.
“Special Agents.”
Kim Cheol, who let out a short sigh, continued.
“They’re several times more dangerous than regular agents yet have absolutely no rewards. Even if you die performing missions, it’s nothing more than a meaningless dog’s death.”
“……”
“Even once the Special Agent label sticks, it’s impossible to remove. Whether you retire or whatever, enemies will somehow try to kill you.”
“Team Leader.”
Baek Woohyun smiled faintly.
Because he noticed the reason Kim Cheol was listing out all the bad points of Special Agents in detail.
It was dangerous like this, had no rewards whatsoever, prone to dying a dog’s death, and once affiliated it’s impossible to leave, so give up even now.
……In other words, it meant he could become a Special Agent if he didn’t give up here.
“Has anyone given up after hearing your explanation until now?”
“No. Not a single bastard. Damn sons of bitches.”
Kim Cheol, who spat out curses irritably, took the agent badge Baek Woohyun had placed on the desk.
It wasn’t to strip Baek Woohyun of his agent qualification at this point. If so, he wouldn’t have bothered mentioning anything related to Special Agents.
In fact, he raised his fingertip to do something on the back of the badge, then tossed it back to Baek Woohyun.
’17…?’
As Baek Woohyun, who got it back, confirmed, only the number 17 had been blankly added to the back of the badge.
And it wasn’t too difficult for him to realize the meaning of that number.
Didn’t he say earlier there were about a dozen or so Special Agents?
‘Seventeen people. More than I thought.’
“If you show that to Hana, she’ll explain about the missions Special Agents perform.”
“Thank you. Team Leader.”
“Thanks… I wonder if you’ll be able to say that a few months from now?”
“Of course.”
Baek Woohyun, who answered confidently, attached the badge to his combat uniform collar, then slowly rose from his seat.
Since he had obtained the position he wanted through negotiation with Kim Cheol, there was no reason to sit here wasting more time.
Kim Cheol, who was also busy, didn’t bother to hold him back, so naturally after exiting the conference room, he first rummaged through his clothes and took out his work smartphone.
While thinking things like ‘As expected, the senior agent was Kim Hana.’
*
“Oh, so he was a Special Agent after all.”
“Special Agent. The Otherworld Management Bureau had such a thing? Am I the only one hearing this for the first time?”
“I’ve never heard of it either.”
—Me neither
—Me too ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
—If Yujin’s affection rises, she roughly talks about it
—That thing about her doing dangerous work?
‘StoryDigger’ donated 1000 won!
[Info) Surprisingly, there are related hints throughout the Otherworld Management Bureau route]
“Whether it’s well-known or not isn’t important. I was just thinking of it as background setting until just now anyway.”
“Mmm.”
“What’s important is that just as the third force Manmulsang route was revealed, a new route has been revealed within the Otherworld Management Bureau too.”