#72
New Order (2)
Inside the barrier filled with darkness, Hans turned his head and stared to the side.
As if looking at something beyond that black space.
[Interesting.]
His level soared, and he resumed his activities and showed off a new, more effective curse.
However, I felt something strange about the thin string connected to it, so I looked for a moment and found myself making eye contact with a certain warlock.
‘What should I do…’
I met him briefly through meditation, but I already knew him to some extent.
Hans was sensitive to malice, but I didn’t feel like he was a particularly evil person.
Rather, he is an unusual opponent who is a fairly skilled warlock but is not tainted by madness.
‘I wonder if he has any related skills like me. Rather, this location…’
A map of the entire city of Seoul was drawn in his head, and the location he had just identified was displayed.
The main body immediately checked the information there through the Internet.
‘…also.’
It was a hospital under the management of the Ability Management Bureau, a government agency.
There is no need to do anything on that side.
We can only express our condolences for a moment to the public officials who continue to diligently conduct meaningless investigations.
‘That warlock seemed quite useful. ‘I’ll just remember it first.’
Since I could find him whenever I wanted to, I thought it wouldn’t be a bad idea to quietly contact him later.
[Ugh, I like this more than that. If criminals carelessly investigate my curse, the moment…]
You will be counterattacked immediately, your location will be identified, and you will be visited by Hans.
And since warlocks had a high percentage of criminals, their likelihood was also high.
If the level is high enough to investigate his curse, it wouldn’t be a small thing, so it could be a pretty good trap.
‘We need to be more diligent in increasing the number of people who can be cursed without executing them.’
“Huh…Huh! A monster…!”
At that time, while he was thinking about something else for a moment, the villains who were diligently pounding on Hans’ defense shield ground their teeth.
Unable to escape due to the barrier surrounding them on all sides, they cried and resisted by eating mustard, but eventually fell into despair.
[I’m sorry, but I don’t have any more time to devote to you.]
Hans’ blue eyes faded, and soon the “Eyes of the Abyss” looked at them.
“Ah ah….”
“Huh—”
So Hans was busy keeping security in Seoul again today.
Thanks to his activities, criminals were forced to take precautions, and the crime rate fell sharply…
Citizens living in Seoul could clearly feel the difference.
***
〈The reason why incidents and accidents have decreased in Seoul these days.〉
〈There is a Korean-style dark hero who wears a mask and hunts criminals?! What is his identity?〉
〈Collection of Hahoe Mask eyewitness interviews.〉
Rumors about Hahoe Mask, which had previously spread like a ghost story, spread explosively on the Internet.
Due to the intervention of the Ability Management Bureau, which was concerned about his idolization, it has not yet been reported on public news, but judging from the speed at which it spreads through Internet news and other communities, it would not last long.
As Hans’ appearance was avoided to be directly exposed to the public, drawings drawn by eyewitnesses were used instead of photographs.
Among them, there was a painting in which only blue eyes were roughly drawn on a black seal, and there was also a portrait so well drawn that it almost resembled the real thing.
A representative example was a painting of a person wearing a Hahoe mask, wearing a black robe, looking down with blue eyes and extending a gloved hand.
The artist who drew it explained that it was a scene from the moment he was rescued by Hahoetal from a human meat factory among the demons, and claimed that the scene at that time was still vivid.
-Wow hahaha I’m so happy to hear that they kill all the villains too.
-Where are the human rights for criminals? While you’re at it, take care of our right to survive.
-Thanks to Hahoetal, I am living a bit more comfortably these days. Thank you for your continued support!
The response to it was generally favorable.
Of course, there was also an opinion that he was just a criminal and that he should not support private sanctions on individuals, but it was quietly buried under the sway of the majority public opinion.
As the Hahoe mask gradually became an issue, the enthusiasm of reporters and individual creators to cover it grew, and information through interviews with eyewitnesses and the collection of all kinds of data began to become known little by little.
Ultra-wide detection ability to identify events occurring throughout Seoul in real time.
The mobility to move directly to the detected location.
Even overwhelming combat power that can instantly resolve any villain the opponent may have.
However, nothing was clearly known about his fighting style, because he put the victim to sleep as soon as he appeared.
Even criminals who survived after being attacked by him were so frightened that they were unable to give proper testimony.
But no one could argue about his power.
Above all, the achievements he has made so far have proven everything.
The title thus obtained was ‘Unofficial Korea’s Strongest.’
However, since all of them were full of stories of experience and there was no evidence such as photos or CCTV footage, the debate about them continued.
-Isn’t this just Suzaku? How does one person cover the entire Seoul?
-It is true that the crime rate has fallen these days. I don’t know if it’s really the Hahoe mask, but there’s something there.
-If it’s real, isn’t it the guardian dog? That’s because a large organization is worse than one person haha
– Unlike the Hogu Guardian, which must take care of the human rights of criminals, Hahoetal’s principle is zero tolerance and summary execution.
-Then it’s not an individual, it’s an organization? It could be several people wearing the same makeup.
Since this was the situation in Korea as well, overseas communities were convinced that it was a manipulation by the Korean side and did not even deal with it.
However, here was someone who was keenly aware of the activities of the ‘Hahoe Mask’ and was under tremendous stress as his activities continued…
“Aaaa—! How long has it been since I got off work! Hahaha! Seonghyun, what are you doing? Let’s do it, let’s do it, ta-ta—!”
It was my friend Kang Tae-san, who was holding a can of beer in front of me and laughing like a crazy person.
“I guess the work is very difficult? “It hasn’t even been long since the training ended, but there are already sounds of death coming out.”
“Don’t even talk about it, the first one I was assigned to was the Hahoetal investigation team! It’s the busiest department in the criminal investigation department right now! “Other people say I’ve become more relaxed, but I ended up being the youngest member of that team!”
Kang Tae-san gets angry again and gulps down alcohol.
He was my one and only friend who came to my house with a bunch of drinks, saying that he was getting off work for the first time in a while.
‘You don’t have to worry about it anymore.’
He was a grateful guy who stayed by my side and gave me strength even when I was stuck at home after the accident.
Things like throwing out trash for someone who can’t go outside or visiting regularly to be a companion.
Although it was small, it was a warm gesture of interest for me who felt like I was left alone in the world.
“But you seem to be feeling much better? “I’ve seen you briefly before, but what can I say… I feel like I’ve gained motivation for life?”
“Yes, you can’t live in the past forever. My parents wouldn’t want that either…”
“Okay… I thought about it well, man! “Do you know how anxious I have been all this time?”
I had a relationship with Taesan since elementary school.
After losing his parents at a young age and growing up under his grandmother, Han Seong-hyun’s parents became close friends and always took care of him like their own child.
That bond grew stronger as he passed through middle school and high school, and later he came to depend on Han Seong-hyun’s parents as if he were his own biological parents.
To be honest, we were almost like brothers.
“How is your grandmother? Are you feeling better?”
“Ah…haha… well, it’s the same. “Now that you’re older…”
His expression darkened for a moment, perhaps because he was worried about his grandmother, who had been hospitalized for several years.
“I’ll have to come visit you sometime soon.”
“huh? No, it’s okay! “There’s no need to overdo it.”
“You’re not overdoing it. Because I can go outside now. Oh, I’m going to move soon. “I won the lottery.”
“…Eh?”
As big news was delivered one after another, an uproar arose.
I forcibly suppressed Taesan, who was expressing surprise with his whole body, calmed him down, and calmly organized his thoughts.
A way to help his grandmother.
‘Heinrich’s divine power would be somewhat effective. I don’t know how much it will affect aging, but it’s better than nothing.’
All I had to do was sneak over, treat him quickly, and send him back to his place.
It may be cumbersome to create the situation, but it won’t be difficult if you get help from other clones.
“…Still, I’m glad. Seonghyeon, it seems like you have fully recovered too.”
The drinking party started again and Taesan muttered quietly.
And then I began to watch this side cautiously.
“why? “Do you have anything to say?”
When I asked with a frown upon seeing my hesitation, he sighed once and made direct eye contact.
“Actually, I thought a lot about whether to tell you or not. “I thought it was better not to say anything until now, but after looking at your condition today, I thought it would be okay.”
In the sudden serious mood, I put down the beer I was holding and looked at him.
“Do you know why I applied to the Criminal Investigation Department?”
Of course I knew.
Because he followed his parents like his own parents.
He, who had been at the scene that day, was wounded in body and mind and locked himself in his room…
Taesan, who heard the news belatedly through his grandmother’s sick care, actually took that incident as an opportunity to work harder and eventually joined the Ability Management Bureau. .
To dig into more detail about the incident at that time and prevent the same crime from happening again.
“…The incident at that time. It had already been concluded that it was a terrorist attack by the Awakened. Everyone knew that. Until recently.”
For a moment, I felt my body stiffen.
I thought I knew what he was trying to say.
“There was an organization that had been operating in secret for a long time. “Until recently, they had been causing incidents relatively quietly, but they started moving in earnest about six months ago.”
It was a time when public order in Korea was in disarray.
“Because they were so thorough, I was only vaguely aware of their existence and couldn’t even catch their tail…”
Then Hahoetal appeared.
“After he started hunting down criminals, the world behind the scenes was shaken and the rules were broken, so it seems like there was a loophole for the guys who were making a name for themselves based on that.”
That’s how the Ability Management Bureau finally caught up with them.
About an organization called ‘Beoncheonhoe’ that has been carrying out all kinds of terrorist acts behind the scenes.
And Taesan… was able to find out that they were behind the ‘Seoul Station terrorist incident’.
“Actually, I shouldn’t say this is confidential, right? But… I thought you had the right to know even if other people didn’t know. But don’t talk about it anywhere else? Can I go to hell? Hehehehe….”
The first place to get the information was the Hahoetal investigation team, and it is said that he, a rookie, was also there at the time.
“And it seems like they stopped their domestic activities right after the clash with Hahoetal and went into a tailspin. “He’s still active, so it’s obvious who won.”
Taesan snorted and took a sip of his cold beer.
“After that, it’s difficult to trace it any further. “I don’t know how long they are holding their breath, but the size of their power seems to be formidable, so we are keeping a close eye on them.”
He also spoke about the internal circumstances of the criminal investigation department, as if he did not care about security issues or anything else.
This probably means that Han Seong-hyun believes in himself.
After telling him all the facts and watching him carefully observe our reactions, I calmly picked up my snack and ate it as if nothing had happened.
“Hahoetal was a greater person than I thought. Didn’t you figure out that criminal organization thanks to that person? But why does the Ability Management Bureau keep chasing him?”
“That’s why I’m more annoyed! Why are you needlessly chasing after a man who is doing a good job? Tired of each other! Just let them keep doing well—!”
He seemed to be relieved by my reaction and let out an exaggerated roar while crinkling the beer can he had just finished drinking.
Because Kang Tae-san, like me, was a villain hater.
He entered the Ability Management Bureau to catch criminals, but he must have been under a lot of stress as he was chasing Hahoetal, who secretly sympathized with those values.
“I can’t help it because it’s work. Hey, drink it first!”
“okay! Anyway, I’m not the type of person who will get caught for trying too hard. “Eh, I don’t know—!”
“Also… thank you for telling me. I’ve already gotten rid of everything, so you don’t have to worry about me anymore. Anyway, as a civilian, there’s nothing I can do, so I’ll leave the rest to you or the Guardian. … And Hahoe Taldo.”
“…Well, that guy was definitely good at his job. “Because I don’t have to worry about what other people think, I can get things done with ease.”
The atmosphere became noisy again and a drinking party broke out.
In keeping with my friend who was continuously drinking, I pretended to be moderately drunk to keep the mood in check.
It was a little disappointing that I couldn’t get drunk easily due to my physical ability and resilience, but it was a satisfying experience just knowing that I was with like-minded friends.
…And so the night in Seoul deepened.
***
A dirty back alley.
In the middle of the people sprawled on the floor, there was a figure who seemed to be buried in the darkness.
[Huh… I’m busy. I’m busy. Still, after removing the large chunks, the overall level has decreased.]
Hans is struggling to maintain public order again today.
He raised his head and looked up at the dark night sky without a single star.
No matter what anyone said, no matter what difficulties there were… he never had any intention of quitting.
From the villains running rampant all over the place to the Buncheonhoe that is now hiding with bated breath.
He will not stop until he destroys everything with his own hands.
Hans stretched out one hand and grasped the night sky.
[Hehehe…I like the black one.]
Now he is the new order of this era.
