Boy Monster Chapter 103

—This is breaking news. A fire has broken out at a factory in the area of 00 City, Gyeonggi Province, amidst a power outage that caused many citizens to complain of inconvenience. The police are currently investigating the cause of the fire, viewing it as a fire caused by gamblers who fled during their arrest.

—Meanwhile, a gang running a human dogfight gambling ring in the hills has been completely apprehended. Evidence has been captured showing that human trafficking and murder also took place at this boxing gambling den, where the stakes ranged from tens of millions to hundreds of millions of won, causing a shock.

The memory of the substation employee who witnessed the monster was erased, and an illusion was cast upon around a hundred drivers to make it as though the traffic jam on the grand bridge had never happened. They also manipulated the situation regarding the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Lim Geonhwi, making it look like the two had a secret meeting regarding personnel matters at the hospital instead of being kidnapped. Since a corpse with a head pierced by a spear was liable to be suspected, it was shoved deep into the tunnel dug by the monster, and Choi Jungkyung was made to fill the tunnel up. Although he felt sorry, Choi Jungkyung’s memory of that was overwritten and erased as well.

“Phew…”

Jae Eunho boarded the helicopter completely exhausted. If he used his resonance ability any further, it felt like recovery would take at least three days. At the same time, checking the status of the hostages and the investigation at the scene came to a conclusion for now. All kinds of whispering could be heard among the scattering crowd.

“Who is that man? Is he special forces? Or the DSC (1)?”

“I thought I was watching a movie. What does he look like if he takes off the gas mask?”

“Even if his face is a flop, he’d still be a male god.”

Shi Taehyun, who became the center of intense interest as an object of admiration among the female hostages and an object of marvel among the male hostages, left the scene first on another helicopter. Even from the military, they came to Eunho saying that Shi Taehyun’s ability to execute missions was impressive and expressed their desire to recruit him, so he had to reject them.

After returning to the NIS where the TF headquarters was located, Jae Eunho sorted out Shi Taehyun’s position before anything else. When he announced that he would bring him in as a temporary black agent of the TF, highly evaluating his practical skills during the smuggling ship incident and the detention center terror attack, the backlash was fierce as expected.

“That cannot happen, Commander. Is he not a criminal who might bounce in any direction! How can we work together?”

However, the person-in-charge and operational commander of the TF was Jae Eunho. Not only was it a structure of absolute obedience to orders where all decision-making power was concentrated on one person, but above all, the results of the missions the bastard had accomplished silenced the voices of opposition.

‘Prove through results’. Was that the motto of the 707 Special Mission Group? Shi Taehyun’s actions were results that fit perfectly into it.

He slaughtered the enemy while keeping all the hostages completely safe. Furthermore, because he killed the enemy forces, including the cyborgs on the grand bridge, before they could self-detonate, the NIS was able to get their hands on the opponent’s cyborg bodies. The chips and biological devices inside the corpses of the cyborg espers were information assets that couldn’t easily have a price tag put on them.

“Who could have executed today’s mission more excellently than this. Give me an answer. Is there anyone who can introduce another outstanding mercenary to me, the team leader? Is there another talented person who can lessen my burden of having to completely wipe out the terrorist organization?”

“…….”

“If there is, please arrange it at any time. A blind date.”

The opposition withered away without a trace.

During that time, Shi Taehyun was undergoing a lie detector examination from the Director of the NIS, Deputy Director Oh Jigeun, and Monk Chogwang. As long as Jae Eunho guaranteed his identity, it was a formal procedure that wouldn’t pose a problem provided he didn’t make a mistake. He felt anxious over what kind of stories might be shared in the interrogation room, and whether the bastard, from whom the smell of blood hadn’t even washed off yet, would blabber useless words.

He thought about going over, but to avoid suspicion, it was better not to move rashly.

The fact that he is Sa Hwelju must be kept from being discovered at all costs.

Just then, Deputy Director Oh Jigeun and Monk Chogwang, who had finished the examination, entered the headquarters. A boisterous assessment dropped from Deputy Director Oh.

“Wow, Commander Jae! I really have to acknowledge Commander Jae’s smooth tongue. How did you tame a gangster bastard going through a storm of adolescence who cut his ankle monitor and bolted? You’ve completely broken in a wild breeding stallion.”

“…….”

“His will to resolve the matter is magnificent. Anyway, since he says he has confidence in killing, it will be useful if we deploy him well. They say his actual age is older than the age recorded on his ID card, so there won’t be any issue with him being a minor. He said it’s a fake identity he obtained while wandering the streets as an orphan.”

Monk Chogwang chimed in as well. Jae Eunho deliberately showed a cold reaction.

“Except for the fact that he spits out informal speech all the time, his skill is usable. I should convince him by saying I’ll get his prison sentence erased.”

“Informal speech? Oh, he was more polite than you, what are you talking about?”

Politeness… it was absurd. That bastard is someone who can kidnap, torture, kill, and revive you guys at any time. Eunho talked back inwardly. Chogwang added while burning a magic talisman he pulled out from inside his suit.

“Nothing much came out in the foresight either.”

Among the abilities of various national defense Buddhist monks, Monk Jiguk’s ability was communication with living creatures like bugs or insects, and Monk Chogwang’s ability was oracle foresight. However, even if he was a monk, he couldn’t foresee matters regarding Sa Hwelju and Sa Yeonri, so naturally there wouldn’t have been any special content.

To Eunho, who was nodding his head, Monk Chogwang brought up another opinion. He looked to be choosing his words carefully.

“But, this is a cautious topic… he resembled that young family head from back then too much.”

“…….”

At Chogwang’s point, Eunho raised a detached gaze.

He had fully anticipated the possibility of such words coming out. He had also prepared an answer utilizing the fact that Jae Eunho was the only one who had seen Jang Hwonwoo’s actual person.

“Ah, right. They do look alike. Um… do you know this? Doppelgänger, like you’ll die if you meet.”

He showed a post that had been popular on the internet in the past. In that post, there were even cases where an overseas celebrity and a domestic celebrity were identical look-alikes.

“It’s this kind of principle. They look alike because it’s an old and blurry photo, but that family head who turned into a monster is much uglier than Shi Taehyun.”

If he said he was more handsome than Shi Taehyun, the credibility would drop, so he lied that he was ugly. Chogwang accepted it without any particular suspicion. An explanation regarding the follow-up measures followed.

“We can’t let him outside, and since there is an empty room in the official residence here, we sent him there. Let’s keep him there until he is brought in.”

“Yes, and I also had a big harvest today.”

When he reported while leaving out the content about the upper-level spy entirely, cheers of joy spread through the bunker as soon as the words left his mouth.

“The hideout of the terrorist organization is Nepal. I’ll rest a bit today, and try resonating intensively starting tomorrow.”

Jae Eunho walked along the wall-lined road with his jacket draped over his arm. The night was truly long. The city welcoming the dawn was bright in places. Now it was time to secretly visit Lim Geonhwi and tie up the loose ends. It just so happened that a contact had come from Lim Geonhwi.

[Give me a reply when you check this. I need to talk with you, about anything. Please.] [I am at the National Security Office. I will go to the place you want.]

Because all his memories of the past few days had been overwritten, he would only perceive that he had been hospitalized after being injured in the convoy truck ambush. Yet a strange text message had come from Lim Geonhwi, who had no earthly idea that he had been beaten up by Shi Taehyun and brought back to life from the dead. To think he discharged himself from the hospital in such a bodily state, he was a bastard more venomous than a vampire.

By the way, was he a human who knew how to utter the word ‘please’? Just how backed into a corner was he for him to come forward with a low posture? Recalling the bone-deep arrogance characteristic of the elite upper class, Eunho clicked his tongue, tsk, tsk.

What is that email saying, <There’s Don’t contact from have left no send? something to you you.>. I know. Lim Geonhwi, that something dirty exists with you. Collecting me as a sex toy for a long time was also all to do spy work, wasn’t it? Do you think I’ll be fooled by this kind of text?

He planned to shake down Lim Geonhwi and grab concrete proof that he was a spy, but it was impossible right at this moment.

Jae Eunho was exhausted. He wanted to rest for just a few hours. He felt like his condition would recover after a few hours of deep sleep.

Where should he sleep?

The S.E.T.U temporary shelter inside the NIS? It was too chaotic to rest.

A high-rise residence? He never wanted to go back.

The temple where Monk Jiguk was? Right, that place would be reasonable at least.

On a summer night when public transportation had stopped, a sudden shower began to plop down on the familiar wall-lined road. Staring at the lights of vehicles flowing on the distant main avenue, Eunho suddenly thought.

Alternatively, how about Shi Taehyun’s hideout in that villa village alleyway?

…That’s nonsense. Why did he think of that house. He was dumbfounded by the random thought.

He reached the point of agonizing over whether he should just go to a hotel alone. He needed a fluffy and soft bed. He wanted to lie down in a quiet bed and fall asleep while fully recalling the voice that used to whisper, ‘Sleep more.’

“Where are you going.”

A voice identical to the sound that was circling in his head settled over the dark road.

“To share a bed with the Army Chief of Staff in that luxury apartment? Or, to go eat a virgin?”

The bastard who abruptly blocked his front was wearing a black shirt and suit pants. It seemed they had provided him with agent activity clothes first. Jae Eunho turned his face away from the bastard as if it were natural.

“Why are you here? It’ll be a headache if you get caught, go inside. Let me rest a bit from cleaning up after you too.”

“I’m telling you, Teacher has too many men. It makes me curious what kind of taste you are for everyone to drool and rush at you, doesn’t it.”

“Why do you keep blocking me. I told you to go be at the official residence.”

“Why else, because I don’t intend to let you go.”

“What are you going to do if you get caught acting like this?”

The bastard, who stood squarely blocking the wall-lined road, snapped back like a thief turning on the owner.

“You know you can just control them a bit, Teacher, so why are you being like this. They say asking again when you already know is acting cute, though?”

“Don’t bother me. I’m tired.”

“You have something to say to me.”

Hidden within the bastard’s short words was the meaning of ‘You’re the one who called me first.’ Shi Taehyun was right. Right now, there was far more for Jae Eunho to talk about between the two. Since all a bastard whose memory and soul were empty could chatter about was the behind-the-scenes story of tailing Jae Eunho.

“I didn’t come because I have feelings for you, so don’t have that kind of delusion by any chance.”

“…….”

A cold current enveloped his body and his mind snapped awake. Right, you are not that child. We are merely in an uncomfortable relationship in many ways.

“If you called me, say what you have to say.”

What words should he bring up first. Jae Eunho, who was in a plight where references and knowledge regarding romance were completely non-existent, was at a loss for words.

I have never once told that boy that I yearn for him, but I loved that child, it’s true, I utilized him too but I also loved him terribly.

Even thinking about it himself, it was a flop. As for where to start and what to say to resolve the misunderstanding effectively, there was currently no organized content at all. Eunho said after a short hesitation.

“Give me just 3 days of time. I’ll organize it and talk to you by then.”

“3 days…? Are you telling me to endure for as long as 3 days right now?”

A drizzling rain sprinkled over the head of the bastard who still held his ground firmly in front. Under the light of the deep dawn streetlamp, the streaks of rain scattered like powder, wetting the eaves of the wall.

“No.”

A shadow slid over the face of Shi Taehyun, who let out an agitated voice.

“You have something to receive from me.”

“……?”

“Semen. Didn’t you say you wanted to be locked in there? You have to receive punishment from me too. I heard you also asked me to slap your cheek?”

Footnotes:

1. Defense Security