Boy Monster Chapter 21

—Last night, a large-scale riot and bloodshed occurred at the Seoul Eastern Detention Center when a power outage in the solitary confinement ward disabled the advanced security systems. Correctional authorities immediately deployed a special task force to suppress the violence before any casualties occurred, and explained that there were no casualties other than two inmates hospitalized with minor injuries. Police said they plan to thoroughly investigate the cause of the power outage, keep open the possibility of intrusion by external violent organizations, and summon security managers and responsible employees for investigation.

Today’s news once again broadcast a heavily sugarcoated version of reality. The fabricated press release, omitting the third intruder and attempted kidnapping, dominated the media.

The statement that there were no casualties was both true and false, depending on how you looked at it. There were many deaths, but all of the deceased were on the kidnappers’ side. The detainees and staff of the detention center were all safe.

Shi Taehyun killed all the intruders this time. He claimed self-defense. He apparently said, “What was I supposed to do when they started shooting? Become a hole-ridden SpongeBob SquarePants corpse?”

Shi Taehyun was confined to solitary confinement, his upper body bound in a straitjacket. As soon as Jae Eunho regained consciousness, he revealed his identity as a National Intelligence Service officer to the detention center authorities and requested that Shi Taehyun be moved to the interrogation room.

The men who infiltrated the detention center yesterday were highly trained professional mercenaries. One, disguised as a cleaning worker, snuck in first and received guns and specialized equipment from a book delivery truck. They then subdued the monitoring room, caused a power outage in the necessary buildings, brought in agents hiding over the wall, and infiltrated both the solitary confinement ward and Jae Eunho’s quarters. They were skilled professionals.

Based on the apparent circumstances, it pointed to a Filipino drug cartel, but Eunho’s gut feeling strongly disagreed. It was clearly the work of the FBI or CIA. And Shi Taehyun naturally knew who was behind it! He was in cahoots with them!

‘Did he think I’d be fooled by him acting like the victim in a straitjacket? The audacity of that bastard.’

Time was of the essence. Jae Eunho pressed the call button for a nurse. He intended to have his IV removed. Aside from a slight dizziness, he was fine. As expected, Shi Taehyun hadn’t been able to do anything to him.

“Chief, you used almost all of your power yesterday, so you’re practically at the level of an ordinary person now…. He specifically told you not to overexert yourself.”

Hyeon Jaewoong hesitantly tried to dissuade Eunho. Hyeon Jaewoong, who had watched over Jae Eunho and Choi Jungkyung’s bedsides all night, was still full of energy despite his lack of sleep, just like any twenty-year-old. Choi Jungkyung, who was asleep in the next bed, stirred, waking from unconsciousness. Jae Eunho, having removed his IV, got out of bed and went to Choi Jungkyung’s bedside.

“My well-being isn’t the priority right now. We need to quickly find out who Shi Taehyun and the group behind him are. Why they targeted me, how the confidential information about S.E.T.U. was leaked. It’s a hurricane-level security crisis right now.”

“Is it that serious? Then I need to stick right by your side, Chief. I need to be promoted to First Grade quickly so I can match your class with proper dignity….”

“Ugh… damn it… The first thing I hear after waking up has to be that kid’s flirting?”

“Jungkyung hyung!”

Choi Jungkyung, having just opened his eyes, groaned at Hyeon Jaewoong’s words. Seeing Jae Eunho hurriedly putting on his suit as he approached his bed, Choi Jungkyung seemed to grasp the gravity of the situation. After taking a few deep breaths, Choi Jungkyung immediately brought up the most important fact.

“They had a psionic among them.”

“What…?!”

As if he had anticipated Jae Eunho and Hyeon Jaewoong’s shock, Choi Jungkyung maintained a calm demeanor.

“I collapsed right before they broke into the office, and I don’t remember anything after that. Unless I was put to sleep, that’s impossible.”

Jae Eunho shook his head. The shocking news made his heart race.

“Impossible. I’ve never heard of other countries’ special forces having psionics in 108 years. There’s no way I wouldn’t know about such information. You must have seen something wrong. Or they manipulated you into thinking you saw something.”

“Considering that even the Chief, in his weakened state, couldn’t resist falling asleep yesterday, they must have a psionic much weaker than the Chief, but I’m certain. They had a psionic.”

“Absolutely impossible. I’ll find out the truth, so wait.”

“Stubborn… It’s true, I’m telling you!”

Jae Eunho left the hospital room before he could even finish tying his black tie.

Monk Chogwang was already waiting for Eunho’s call in front of the Joint Chiefs of Staff’s control system. It was time to release Eunho’s power without the knowledge of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the ministers.

Monk Chogwang expressed his concern in a serious voice.

—Are you sure you can do this, after having used up all your power a few hours ago?

“Once it’s fully released, one person at close range is a piece of cake. Let’s start right now.”

Eunho hurried his steps as he spoke on the phone, his face pale. His determined, offbeat gait reached the interrogation room.

Two heavily armed commandos guarding the interrogation room signaled him to wait. While catching his breath, Eunho felt a thrill like flapping wings rising through his body. His power control had been completely lifted.

Taking advantage of the absence of the prayer beads, the divine power rampaged freely within Eunho’s body. To avoid being overwhelmed by the power, Eunho tensed his entire body and kept his muscles taut, making his torso tremble.

There was a time limit to how long Monk Chogwang could divert the attention of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and high-ranking Blue House officials. He had to go in and read Shi Taehyun’s mind quickly.

The commando who came out after checking the situation inside the interrogation room blocked the two of them.

“He has a demand. Only one person is allowed inside.”

As Eunho reached for the doorknob without hesitation, Hyeon Jaewoong cried out anxiously.

“Chief Eunho, it’s dangerous! Why are you trying to meet that murderer at close range?”

“Unfortunately, my power is only about as much as the spaghetti sauce left after scraping the plate clean. To sift through his consciousness, I need to be within a few steps, with no obstacles.”

“Your body is still unwell, Chief. What if he does something impulsive…!”

“Hyeon Jaewoong.”

Jae Eunho turned around with a cold face and delivered a sharp rebuke.

“Don’t get swept up in your emotions.”

Hyeon Jaewoong’s face was deeply hurt by the look filled with reproach and contempt. Jae Eunho’s mechanical, stiff instructions followed.

“Recite the S.E.T.U motto.”

“…With the power of antiquity, we protect the nation.”

“Of the guardian deity.”

“Unfurl the spirit.”

“Wait here. If an emergency occurs, intervene. That’s your mission.”

“Yes, Chief.”

Leaving behind Hyeon Jaewoong, who was even tearing up, Jae Eunho flung open the interrogation room door.

His gaze immediately met Shi Taehyun’s, who was wide awake. It seemed he had been watching the door for a while. Despite being restrained in a straitjacket and unable to use his arms, Shi Taehyun was sprawled in his chair, looking completely at ease. His brightly bleached hair and the dried blood splattered across his face now seemed like a part of his identity.

“Was your lecture canceled? It was such an informative rehabilitation program, it’s a shame.”

The cause of death for most of the intruders was excessive bleeding from gunshot wounds and other trauma, and this time, a brief autopsy revealed bodies drained of blood. He wasn’t planning to interrogate him about this now. Mentioning Sa Hwelju’s ability to drain blood from a person’s vessels and kill them instantly would be like handing over information.

“Don’t you feel sorry for me? I saved you and all your friends in the detention center, and this is what I get.”

The priority was to ascertain his identity and background. Eunho opened the file to double-check what he needed to extract from him. He was about to put his hands together and focus when-

“Just in case you were wondering, I didn’t rape you. I wanted to do it when you were in your right mind.”

Jae Eunho, momentarily losing his focus, sighed. He walked around the desk and closer to Shi Taehyun, then spoke.

“If your goal is to provoke me, such talk is useless. You’d be better off threatening me or pushing me with the information you have.”

“Oh…”

“I’m a different kind of person than anyone you’ve ever met. See, I’m a ‘serious’ adult. So seriously an adult that a child like you can’t shake my mental state.”

“I’m a child?”

“In front of a senior NIS officer, everyone is a child.”

Having experienced him firsthand, Eunho decided it was better to reveal his identity and apply direct pressure. Hiding it would only lead to circling each other with words. Shi Taehyun gave a mischievous smile.

“Haha, I like this…”

Shi Taehyun spread his legs wide and looked Eunho up and down. Eunho turned away expressionlessly. He was done looking at him. As he was about to return to his seat, Shi Taehyun taunted him.

“There’s something wrong with the child’s dick development.”

“…….”

“Would you mind checking if it’s a dick fit for a serious adult?”

When Eunho didn’t turn around, Shi Taehyun slowly began to recite the main points.

“‘My future can be summed up in two words: death and hell. Because life itself would be hell if I lost him. Even if Linton loved me with all his might for eighty years, it wouldn’t compare to my love for a single day.’ I looked it up; it’s a line from Wuthering Heights. Seems like it made quite an impression on you. Enough to write it down in your phone.”

“…….”

“S.E.T.U Chief Jae Eunho. You like old songs, just like your old-fashioned glasses, you’re a weapon-grade Sa Yeonri psionic, and right now, you’re practically powerless because you used up all your abilities yesterday. Oops, what to do? Beep beep… Sa Yeonri No. 38, Jae Eunho, control release impossible.”

Shi Taehyun slowly wiggled one foot as he continued.

“‘The password to access the dedicated app is ‘saeng-ya-il-pyeon-bu-un-gi, sa-ya-il-pyeon-bu-un-myeol’.’ I checked last night; most of the Hwelju and Yeonri are good at sex, so they maintain a psionic gauge above 90%. I saw all your favorite friends too. Choi Jungkyung, Hyeon Jaewoong, Monk Jiguk, all seem to be close friends. That Hyeon Jaewoong fellow was having a rough time in prison clothes, watching me in the next room. He was working out hard yesterday. All your secrets are out, what are you going to do?”

Toward the back of Jae Eunho’s motionless head, Shi Taehyun uttered his final words.

“Oh, I almost forgot. Lim Geonhwi.”

The relief of not having turned around masked Jae Eunho’s agitation. He had deleted the photos Lim Geonhwi sent as soon as he received them, and their messenger conversations contained nothing about sexual quirks. What he saw must have been missed calls or texts. There was no need to be intimidated. The moment he decided to show no reaction, Shi Taehyun said something unexpected.

“The brother-complex hyung who’s obsessed with you. Quite the age gap…? Did I convey my message well? Does he look like this because he gets around so much?”

“…?”

Jae Eunho turned around, searching his memory. Shi Taehyun, apparently bored with his long speech, was just about to yawn.

“Hmm… I was dying to know who your friend at Jogyesa Temple was, but it turned out to be that old geezer, Monk Jiguk. There was a lot of talk about the sinkhole issue around there, didn’t you find out anything…?”

He recalled the night he had escaped house arrest. Wasn’t the taxi driver middle-aged? No matter how heavy the rain and how dark it was, could he have possibly mistaken his age? The fact that Shi Taehyun had put Jae Eunho in the taxi at that very moment was more important than his self-doubt. Did that mean Shi Taehyun had been hovering around Jae Eunho, disguised, all this time…!