Episode 190

-I came into contact while trying to obtain Mana Powder.

-Please, just don’t tell my parents…!

-I will reflect on my actions! You can take away my ability! Just please, don’t reveal that fact…! Please!!

Hong Chang-sik begged on his knees.

He spilled all the information he knew, and after obtaining the information, there was nothing more to say.

-Goblin sir! Please, please show mercy!!

-The rest will be discussed with the agent.

I entrusted the negotiation regarding Hong Chang-sik’s treatment to the society’s agent.

“You can release the transformation.”

I removed my mask.

Although I was transformed into a goblin, dressed in a suit, removing the mask made me look like any other society agent.

“Is it okay to show your face to others?”

“Everyone here is under Gunggi’s command. After Gunggi purged her subordinates once, they’ve all become trustworthy.”

After the Mattluk incident, Gunggi re-evaluated and filtered her subordinates once more.

Thus, the agents gathered here were all special agents directly selected by Gunggi, including [Brewer], [Peddler], and [Street Performer].

Like me, they were dedicated to the society and would not betray it.

“They won’t betray. They won’t spill information. Even if they acted like Hong Chang-sik, they are the type of people who, if it means their own harm, would dare someone to expose it.”

“Themselves?”

“In cases where a family member or loved one is taken hostage, the society considers extenuating circumstances. Of course, rescue agents move immediately to prevent such incidents.”

That’s the Chief’s principle in running the organization.

“Yumir, could you endure if your old diary was exposed to others?”

“What’s the big deal about a diary?”

“You would say that. But let’s talk about ordinary people, not angel-like beings like you. What if it contained all sorts of curses and insults, unspeakable things? If it were someone like Hong Chang-sik, or worse?”

“…Well, they’d end up like Hong Chang-sik? Rather than facing social death, they’d probably try to find some underground bunker to avoid being physically killed.”

“Right. Even if they don’t value honor, being subject to society’s disdain in this world is the end. Not just for themselves but for everything around them.”

Humans were social animals.

They did not wish to be isolated and eliminated from the society that surrounds them.

Of course, there might be those who were willing to abandon everything around them and destroy themselves.

But such individuals would be one in five at most.

Most, like Hong Chang-sik, were inclined to divulge information for their own protection, and it’s enough if even one person spoke up.

“The society doesn’t threaten them with family or acquaintances. It doesn’t torture physically by pulling out nails or suffocating. Instead, it attacks using their past and actions, the lives they’ve led. Touching on what’s called ‘dark history’.”

“Dark history?”

“Behaviors from their immature days.”

An American actor once mentioned in an interview,

When I was young, I was a fool, or in today’s terms, ‘immature’.

But people didn’t know he was immature.

He only acted immaturely within the confines of his room, so the world only knew him as an actor.

Why did he share this story?

He said that such immature, or in cruder terms, idiotic behaviors were now performed in front of others due to modern times.

In essence, SNS was to blame.

Not just SNS, but all media that can leave a record and documentation in the information world were to blame.

Data remained as records, and investigations based on those records revealed crimes.

Criminals try to delete electronic data, while those uncovering crimes strived to recover it.

Top-secret data was recorded manually or stored in a secure network not exposed to hacking, but even those networks could be breached by the secret society.

Through the information I obtained, I learned about Pandemonium from the traitorous agent, Hong Chang-sik.

“It was surprisingly easy to get the information. Southeast Asia…? I never thought it would be abroad.”

“In Korea, Cheonriyan is vigilant. Unless one directly accesses a foreign network through a VPN bypass, even Pandemonium can’t easily make contact.”

Hong Chang-sik and others like him, they all ventured into the dark corners of the internet and ended up making deals with Pandemonium.

Some sought power.

Some sought revenge.

Others sought something they desired.

“Mostly, they get involved with Pandemonium in an attempt to obtain Mana Powder. Working for Pandemonium grants regular access to Mana Powder, and through demon research, their power is enhanced without side effects.”

“Side effects… Only possessing the power of demons?”

“Yes. That’s also why various research institutions are after you, Yumir.”

I accessed information on the dark web through the society’s network and showed it to her.

“Susanoo and Heavenly Demon are merely distractions. In reality, battles have occurred across the country and even under the sea.”

“…Russia?”

“They descended with a submarine and were intercepted by Snow White. In the south, a submarine emerged from the direction of Jeju Island and was captured by Cheok Jun-kyeong.”

There’s a wealth of information in the world beyond what was visible.

The society gathered data primarily from the dark web, where silent gunshots were exchanged in places hidden from the public eye.

“The reason these people halted… The Dark Charisma?”

“Yes. Even figures from the underworld retreat when a madman like that makes an appearance.”

Just as when Duoexini unleashed 72 demons on the Korean peninsula, this time too, countries withdrew their efforts to rescue or make contact with prisoners entering Sejong Island because of him.

“Shall we… go confront the person in charge now?”

[Transformation?]

[Transformation.]

I adjusted the Goblin mask once more and opened the door to the last agent’s location.

“Hmm. Interesting. I wondered who it would be.”

[Park Eun-jung. 21 years old. B-class. From Gangneung, Gangwon-do. At home-]

“Ah, I got it. You know my information. Tell me what you want first.”

The leader of the traitors, and the one who directly stabbed an agent who came to smoke them out, Park Eun-jung, leaned back in the chair with her legs on the interrogation room’s desk.

“What are you going to do? Torture? Or perhaps, social obliteration?”

[Heard that?]

“I’m B-class. I’ve worked abroad and collaborated with the National Intelligence Service. I know how society handles people.”

[Then this will be quick.]

I sat down opposite Park Eun-jung.

Yumir seemed uncomfortable facing someone who had attempted to kill, and Park Eun-jung began to smirk, sensing that discomfort even through the mask.

“Why? Miss. Platinum Sun, are murderers not human to you?”

[He didn’t die. Unfortunately for you. I saved him.]

“Wow. Amazing. You twisted right into the heart. And you saved him? Incredible.”

[You…!]

“Next time, I’ll slice his neck completely. Make it impossible to revive. Hehe.”

[It seems like you’ve killed before.]

When I produced the Goblin Bat, Park Eun-jung’s laughter cracked.

[I won’t waste words. Answer my questions, and I’ll kill you painlessly.]

“Oh. I thought you don’t kill in front of Platinum Sun?”

[Just send her out.]

“Platinum Sun. The Goblin is saying they’ll kill. What will you do?”

[…….]

Yumir remained silent.

Apparently, she hadn’t expected to be mocked in such a manner, clenching her fist in anger.

“Why? Are you angry? Our noble Platinum Sun, so naive and childlike. Like a child.”

And Park Eun-jung was an expert at reading such emotions in others.

“It’s hard for society to carry around such a child. What’s the use of special abilities if the mind is still that of a child?”

[People who think they’re grown-up saying such things doesn’t matter. Platinum Sun. Don’t mind it. Words of someone who will soon die.]

“Huh. Going to kill me? Go ahead. It doesn’t matter if it’s not in one strike. I thought I was dead the moment I was caught. Let’s see…what are you doing?”

[Digging into dark history.]

I aimed the Goblin Bat at the wall.

Soon, an image appeared on the wall, and an agent outside started scrolling through photos related to Park Eun-jung.

“Huh, huh. Looking up such things…”

[We found an interesting novel.]

I found something immediately disgusting and pointed the bat at it.

[Cheok Jun-gongxTusinsu? Really now. Spinning such bait behind, Korean S-classes have quite the mental fortitude…oh.]

“Keke. Why? You think you’re not a target?”

Even the Goblin now.

[Goblin. Shall we just kill her? How could she, in the public interest, create such a…!]

[Do you know what it is?]

[Of course…I do. It’s distasteful.]

[Yes. It’s unpleasant. Famous ability users have to endure such things.]

Deepfakes or composites.

Compared to video media, such RPGs (Role-Playing Games) were just minor issues.

[By the way, all those under you have been wiped out. You’re the only one left, and I came for the last check.]

“Kill me then. I won’t speak.”

[Tsk. Foolish. An intelligence agent who even collaborated with the National Intelligence Service to be so short-sighted.]

I extended the Goblin Bat above Park Eun-jung’s head.

[Why do you think there’s no ability to make you confess forcibly?]

“……!”

[In a world where confessions can be forced.]

“Wait, what are you trying to do…!”

[Hmmm.]

Scanning the history of a human named Park Eun-jung.

From a reader’s perspective.

Through the history and experiences lived.

Reading the past.

[It’s Phuket.]

It can be found.

“!! No, you can’t read thoughts…!”

[Not exactly.]

I obtained the last piece of information.

[On May 3rd, you will be found at Baekrokdam, Hallasan. Don’t worry. I won’t kill you until then. Nor will I torture you. But.]

I aimed the Goblin Bat at Park Eun-jung to continue.

[Even those who reflect and have a chance for rehabilitation carry their sins for life. But a villain like Park Eun-jung, with no chance for rehabilitation, must die here, right?]

“What, what are you trying to do…!”

[Erasing the dark history. Well, inducing amnesia could work too. Let’s see. For Ms. Park Eun-jung, erasing about 3 years of memory should suffice.]

“What, what…?”

A human drenched in Mana Powder and accustomed to all sorts of crimes, colluding with Pandemonium, cannot be left alive.

[Park Eun-jung, the villain, will disappear, and you will return to being Park Eun-jung, who wanted to become a righteous agent while studying at Sejong Academy.]

“What, what are you saying! That’s, you’re going to erase my memory and kill me…!”

[Kill? Park Eun-jung is alive. Just a little different from the current Park Eun-jung.]

“Stop…! No…! My life, you can’t just…!”

[How amusing.]

I raised the Goblin Bat.

[Selling people for human experiments while hooked on Mana Powder, the 21-year-old Park Eun-jung is less beneficial to society than the 21-year-old Park Eun-jung who held onto her dream of becoming a hero and became an agent of the Hero Association, right?]

It’s obvious.

[You should be thankful I’m not killing you for real. Right? I’m using an ability more difficult and challenging than summoning a Rider Kick or the Sephiroth’s Giant Soldier.]

“Ah, noㅡ”

[One strike with this bat will erase all the dark history. Completely.]

Thwack.

[Platinum Sun. Do you consider this killing a person?]

[……It’s ambiguous whether it’s considered killing the personality or just selective memory removal. Hey, Goblin? Do you know who my favorite comic book hero is?]

[Hmm… Superman?]

[I used to think so. But now.]

Yumir approached Park Eun-jung, who had fallen after being hit with the Goblin Bat.

[Batman.]

Thwack.

[…She didn’t die, right?]

[She’s not dead.]

[Then it’s fine.]

Yumir, after striking Park Eun-jung’s head hard, dusted off her hands and stood up.

On this day,

The villain Park Eun-jung was executed.

What remained was an ability user with holes in her memory.

May arrived.