The Civil Servant Who Conceals Her Power Is Too Good at Possession Chapter 28

I could feel Ma Deokho’s gaze burning into the side of my head.

 

I felt like my neck was making rusty, creaking sounds as I awkwardly turned my head to look at him, then quickly cast my eyes down and picked up the kitten. 

 

“Oh my, it’s throwing up a lot. It must be sick. I’ll take this little guy to the animal hospital…”

 

“I took it the other day. They said it’s fine. Apparently, it’s just a habit.”

 

“….”

 

“Lulu said that Investigator Lee Yuji had brought snacks and food that day. But then she suddenly took her into the lobby.”

 

He heard all the way up to that part! 

 

Suddenly, it felt like light was flooding my vision.

 

Right. Ma Deokho is an animal communicator, not a communicator of gods, so he couldn’t possibly know what happened after I became Lulu!

 

“…But it says in the statement that she left the food and came in with the detection dog.”

 

I thought he was just some ‘MZ’ investigator who wore a headset and left work the second the clock hit six, but to think he was this meticulous! 

 

However, they say even if you’re dragged into a tiger’s den, you’ll survive if you keep your wits about you. I’m not exactly a silver-tongued orator, but if I can just fabricate something…… 

 

“Are you…… working with an information guild or something?” 

 

“Excuse me?”

 

With an indifferent expression, Ma Deokho snatched the kitten back from me and placed it back in the flowerbed. 

 

“Or did you make some sort of deal with Team Leader Kwon?”

 

“…Uh… well…”

 

He was misunderstanding things. 

 

He even seemed to consider the possibility that the statement itself had been tampered with.

 

But since I didn’t exactly have anything to say to clear up that misunderstanding, I kept my mouth shut. That was when he spoke.

 

“It doesn’t matter.”

 

Ma Deokho looked at the flowerbed with calm eyes. 

 

“Investigators who enter the HIB usually have a story of some kind. And the ones obsessed with performance usually have even more of one.”

 

“Ah. Right.” 

 

I see.

 

A secretive investigator who joined the Hunter Investigation Unit with some purpose. 

 

Her own objective…… someone who wouldn’t hesitate to act as an undercover for the higher-ups to achieve something like revenge(?) and works with her life on the line. 

 

‘Oh… that sounds kind of cool.’

 

I’m nothing like that, but let’s just pretend I am. 

 

“Th-thank you.”

 

I bowed. Ma Deokho glanced at me like a slightly broken person, unsure where to look. The air quickly grew awkward again.

 

I guess emotional conversations are difficult for him.

 

Hard to pin down, this guy.

 

“Anyway, if a spot opens in Team 1, consider transferring there. If you stay in our team, you’ll stick out too much……”

 

He rested his chin on his folded knees.

 

“…Team Leader is worried about Investigator Lee Yuji. Very much.”

 

“…!”

 

“Also, because you’re partners.”

 

My brow furrowed at the word ‘again.’ 

 

I see. Back then, the person who died was also a partner. This time too—

 

‘She’s worried I might die.’

 

“She doesn’t look worried at all.” 

 

“Well. That’s because she’s the type who doesn’t show it.”

 

Ma Deokho said that and stood up.

 

“Oh, by the way.”

 

“Yes?”

 

I had begun to feel a bit of respect for Ma Deokho, so I looked up at him with bright eyes.

 

“Do I have to keep secrets for free?”

 

“…Excuse me?”

 

“I think it’s better to be clear about calculations among people you meet at work. I bought the bandages and ointment for you. That comes to 6,000 won total.”

 

Respect canceled.

 

I fumbled into my pocket to get my wallet.

 

“Forget the money. A cat is missing.”

 

Ma Deokho pointed at the cats on the flowerbed.

 

“There should be five. There are four.”

 

“Uh… but why are you telling me…”

 

Wouldn’t it be faster to ask someone like Senior Lulu about this? She’s an animal communicator, after all!

 

“Someone took it. A male, presumably in his 50s, who entered the HIB building.”

 

“Then couldn’t one of the investigators have adopted it……”

 

“But why only one?”

 

That’s true… but what does asking me solve if it’s just suspicious?

 

He pointed to the CCTV near the flowerbed.

 

“That. You can see it, right?”

 

“Me?”

 

“Since you have something going on with Team Leader Kwon.”

 

Ma Deokho spoke in a low voice.

 

“…!”

 

Ah, right. I’m supposed to play the investigator with a secret backstory.

 

“I’ll keep your secret if you confirm that person’s identity.”

 

Ma Deok-ho returned to his robotic expression and put on his headset.

 

“Lunch is over, so I’ll take my leave now.”

 

* * *

 

The Ma Deokho quest had begun.

 

In terms of a quest window, would it look like this?

 

Sudden Quest: ‘Find the Black Kitten!’

 

-Reward if found: Secret kept

 

-Penalty for failure: Dragged off by Team Leader Kwon for re-interrogation, secret skill exposed, or in the worst case, framed as an accomplice to the terrorist.

 

-Time Limit: At Ma Deokho’s whim.

 

Ugh.

 

Right now, my bank account already has seven hundred million from dark sources, and I’m about to legally get three hundred million more—and yet Ma Deokho gives me this kind of quest.

 

The only silver lining was that I had plenty of time since I’d been excluded from duties.

 

Other team members were out on fieldwork or in the investigation room, suddenly swamped thanks to the huge case I had handled, while I sat alone in the office thinking.

 

Thinking of a way to check the CCTV without being suspected.

 

‘I have no idea….’

 

While I was thinking that, a message popped up from Hamina in the bottom right corner of the screen.

 

Ham Ina

Hunter Ji Wongil has been fully investigated and cleared. No suspicious points were found.

 

It was a message updating me about the investigation of Hunter Ji Wongil, which Team 1 had handled.

 

For this case of Kevin Choi’s illegal fighting arena, cooperation with Team 1 was essential. 

 

Since Team 1 was in charge of the Geumho-dong case, they had all the information regarding how Kevin Choi had illegally distributed the monsters. 

 

‘They’re also the ones who sent the first summons to Kevin Choi to secure custody.’ 

 

Consequently, Ji Won-gil had given statements once to Team 5 and once to Team 1. Although Chief Hong told me there wouldn’t be any issues for Ji Won-gil, I had contacted Ham Yi-na just in case.

 

Thanks a….

 

Ah, wait.

 

Should I test it?

 

As I was hesitating, consecutive messages arrived. 

 

If there’s anything else you need help with, please let me know. I’ll help with anything I can on my end. Thanks to you, Team 1 has essentially escaped a crisis. I’m truly…… grateful.

 

This is… too good an opportunity.

 

By any chance, could I view the CCTV for the HIB back gate?

 

The CCTV?

 

If she asks why, I’ll say I want to check the footage of the terrorist entering and exiting through the back gate on my first day. 

 

If she asks why I want to check that, I’ll say I’m curious about traces of an accomplice! 

 

I’ll just give off an aura like there’s something there.

 

‘Perceptive investigation.’

 

Didn’t I just learn the power of that word?

 

…This is all about momentum!

 

While I was thinking that, another message popped up from Hamina.

 

I’ll talk to the records room. But I might have to go with you. Is that okay?

 

Huh?

 

You’re not even going to ask why?