But it is a bit strange, isn’t it?
‘I was planning to try saving you in this life…’
To say something like that every time.
I was originally fated to die in an explosion in ‘this life’.
In ‘the previous life’, I died in an explosion right away.
If so, that means the point of contact between Choi Woojin and ‘Lee Yuji’ in the past timeline was before the explosion—
‘When?’
No matter how much I searched my memories, I had no recollection of meeting Choi Woojin.
Someone like Choi Woojin, who is rich, has a trashy personality, and is handsome, handsome, handsome…
Anyway!
There’s no way I would forget a face like that, right?
Just the fact that Choi Woojin revealed his face once while appearing at the HIB recently had caused a massive stir on social media.
Comments
-Is Choi Jungu’s grandson’s face for real.
-Why didn’t he become a celebrity…?
-There was a rumor that he’s treated as a nuisance because he’s the only non-Awakener in Choi Jungu’s family, but that must be a lie;; With those looks, he could rake in money just by doing a world tour as a celebrity
…Well, that’s a bit much.
From the perspective of someone who had Kwon Ikseong as my favorite character in my heart throughout reading the novel, Choi Woojin was a somewhat annoying character.
Because not only did he manage to evade Kwon Ikseong, but he also sometimes ridiculed and made fun of Kwon Ikseong’s uprightness.
But actually…
‘I have to admit he’s handsome.’
So if I had seen such a handsome face, there’s no way I would forget it.
‘It’s very strange….’
If I find it strange and go ask Choi Woojin ‘Why do you keep saying this life, this life?’, it would be like confessing ‘I know you’re a regressor’.
And if I confess that, given the psychotic nature of that crazy guy who half-destroyed the subspace, there’s no way he’ll leave me alone.
So let’s just let this slide for now—
The bigger problem was the other things I saw in the special side story.
Special side story.
When I first heard those words, I wondered what they meant, but now I know.
A special side story refers to a ‘new story created by Lee Yuji surviving’.
In other words, the ‘story of the timeline where Lee Yuji survives’.
Even as someone who knows the original work, I cannot predict the futures that have changed because of my survival.
But the status window shows me that future through the ‘special side story’ in some kind of way.
Of course, it was only a tiny fraction, but that future was quite chilling.
Because I, who Awakened in this life, end up dying due to the side effects of that Awakening ability.
That’s right.
The reason I die.
It’s because the target I possessed died.
* * *
“While one of the Team 1 investigators made a tragic choice unable to bear the pressure of the investigation, suspicions are surfacing one by one that there is someone within the HIB who exerted pressure on the investigation.”
The reporters, who had gathered in front of the HIB as if they had been waiting, were all jabbering away in front of their respective cameras.
“According to an inside source, it was confirmed that an insider’s name was mentioned in the Team 1 investigator’s suicide note, stating that ‘an insider from the HIB ordered him to deliver the bomb’, drawing much attention to today’s statement by Unit Chief Cha Jeonhyeok, the head of the Equipment Management Division.”
“…The HIB previously briefed that they cannot disclose detailed circumstances, citing the confidentiality clause of the investigation.”
Seeing the state of the lobby, Hong Jaegyeol suggested they turn the car around, but Kwon Ikseong shook his head.
“Giving the impression that we are hiding something is worse.”
At those words, Hong Jaegyeol clicked his tongue.
“That’s true, but…”
Are you going to be okay, you punk.
Hong Jaegyeol swallowed those words back down his throat.
Kwon Ikseong, this guy was the kind of b*stard for whom such words of concern were useless.
Since his brain only operated on practical judgments, his own mental state was always put on the back burner.
Did he even have a ‘mental state’ that could be broken in the first place?
Even when he heard that a member of his team had died, and even when he heard that member had written his name in their suicide note, Kwon Ikseong’s expression was just as calm as it is now.
‘I will undergo investigation.’
He just calmly stated this.
‘Do you think I’m saying this because I suspect you?’
‘It’s only natural to suspect. It’s a situation where everyone inside the HIB must be suspected.’
A principle of investigation with no exceptions, even for himself.
Hong Jaegyeol decided to accept his words.
However, he placed an embargo to absolutely ensure that the fact that Kwon Ikseong was under investigation would not be leaked to the outside.
Whether Kwon Ikseong objected or not, it wasn’t his concern.
If he didn’t place an embargo, the entire HIB would be completely torn to shreds.
If it leaked that Kwon Ikseong, who was revered as a hero, was a subject of investigation, it was an obvious sequence of events that the HIB’s reputation, which had been barely pulled up thanks to Lee Yuji, would be completely shattered.
“Hah… open the car door.”
Hong Jaegyeol sighed as he looked at the faces of the reporters who had swarmed densely around the car before he knew it.
And when the door opened, Kwon Ikseong stepped out first.
The reporters rushed at Kwon Ikseong and threw questions at him one by one.
“What are your thoughts on a member of your own team dying?”
“Don’t you feel any guilt, considering you were on the same team?”
“The deceased’s family released a statement, have you read it?”
They were all words sharp as knives.
Words that would cause an ordinary person’s mentality to not just crumble, but to fall into a panic just from hearing one.
Yet, even while hearing dozens of such words, there was no change in Kwon Ikseong’s face.
He walked slowly toward the front of the lobby while carrying out the order of the embargo.
It was then.
One reporter asked Kwon Ikseong.
“Is the fact that all investigation authority has been transferred from Team 1 to Team 5 also related? Team Leader Pi Sowon of Team 5 gave an interview to reporters a moment ago saying she would investigate diligently. Is Team 1 also included in the subjects of investigation?”
At those words, Kwon Ikseong stared at that reporter for a moment, and then at the public broadcast camera next to the reporter.
As always, there was no emotional agitation in his eyes, and there was a point to that fact that strangely flustered people.
Like the feeling of watching a human remaining detached even in front of a roaring lion declaring its intent to attack.
The paradox where the side trying to attack becomes more intimidated.
Exuding such an imposing presence, Kwon Ikseong quietly opened his mouth.
“If Team 5 said they would investigate diligently, then please believe that. One of the principles of an investigation is maintaining confidentiality. However, there is no such limitation on what is investigated and what is not investigated. Every member of the organization will be a subject of investigation.”
At Kwon Ikseong’s words, the reporters quieted down.
It wasn’t just because of his imposing presence.
There was a firmness seeping out from his expression and his tone of voice.
It came from a plainness that didn’t try to fabricate anything or embellish with flowery words.
“Not just the HIB, but all public institutions cannot be perfect. You must not believe they are perfect either. Civil servants and investigators are human too. Only when the citizens use the two weapons of trust and distrust simultaneously can public institutions function properly. I ask for your continued support.”
His firmness seemed to pierce through the screen.
As if all his sincerity could reach the people beyond the screen, the citizens.
And that sincerity was definitely conveyed to one person.
Hi! Thank you for reading this chapter, I hope you enjoyed it. Please continue to support this novel by giving it a good rating on Novel Updates. Thank you! ^^ ❤︎
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