Chapter 379

〈 Kang Taesan (3) 〉

There was a reason why I did not touch areas other than violent crimes.

No matter what, what I wield is also violence.

People would be less reluctant to impose stronger and more overwhelming sanctions on acts of violence committed with someone’s malicious intent, such as murder, robbery or rape, but if the government were to use drastic measures in areas beyond that, there was a high possibility that they would react more sensitively than they do now. .

‘Even now, when we only respond to violent crimes, public opinion for and against the private sanctioning of vigilantes is growing. If we go any further, there will be 100% problems.’

Unless I had complete control over everything in Korea, I could never ignore the flow of public opinion.

Maybe it was something that could be done more actively at the national level, and it was obvious that it would be a hassle in many ways if that happened.

Of course, an investigation headquarters related to this had already been established, but its members were more of a perfunctory type of person than seriously involved in crackdowns.

In any case, the existence of vigilantes was making a great contribution to the security of Korea, and those on the front lines knew this fact best.

‘So I was thinking of leaving it to the people to figure it out…’

My thoughts changed.

I had a premonition that if I continued to wait for society’s midnight like this, it would not be possible even after a lifetime.

The people around me had already been swept away, and it just didn’t suit my temperament to just ignore it like I had done so far.

‘But even if the ruling is decided, the execution process needs to be delicate. If we just solve it with force like we have done so far, things will get complicated.’

There was nothing they couldn’t do if they put their mind to it, but in any case, they were a company operating under the guise of a normal company on the outside.

If we recklessly use violence to destroy such a place, the political and business community, which has been quiet until now, will start running wild like a wild boar with a fire in its tail.

To do this, it was necessary to do things neatly their way.

‘Smart as they prefer. So, I was planning to collect information first, but…’

Cheonjong Construction.

After an investigation by the clan, it was the organization that was identified as the mastermind behind this incident.

On the outside, they were ordinary small and medium-sized businesses, neither too big nor too small, but in reality, they were nothing more than corporate gangsters who did all kinds of dirty work.

“But I don’t think this is the end for these guys?”

A few hours have passed since I met Kang Tae-san and Park Mi-young.

In the middle of the Cheonjong Construction headquarters in the middle of the night.

Not only the guards guarding the building but also the employees on duty had all fallen asleep as if in a faint, and there was a figure standing proudly in the quiet office.

His entire body is covered in armor that glows blue like a complex electronic circuit on a smooth metal surface, and the wires running from his shoulders are connected to all electronic devices around him.

〈Device hacking complete.〉

〈Data collection and classification work is in progress. Current progress is 34%.〉

〈We will organize the necessary information and print it out first.〉

The progress of the work that emerged in Hesperon’s “Inside the Machine: Callicas” is rapidly increasing, and the information is clearly organized on one side for easy reading. .

From minor accounting errors to tightly hidden corruption data.

If it had already been computerized and stored, there was no information that could escape his eyes.

‘I felt it last time too, but this really isn’t a joke. ‘Maybe it will be more useful on Earth than other transcendental avatars.’

The AI of “Inside the Machine: Callicas,” which grows together with Hesperon through the “Chain of Covenant,” has long since far surpassed its existing performance.

Thanks to becoming one with him, it receives various growth corrections, including the 『Elixir of Growth』, and is a super artificial intelligence that evolves in real time according to the surrounding environment.

It was nothing short of a disaster in modern society, which was unable to overcome the differences between dimensions despite being exposed to various scientific and technological civilizations through the awakened.

〈All data downloading and organizing work has been completed.〉

〈Based on the collected information, we will trace the remaining movements and funds on the web.〉

「Mechanical Plan: Calicas」, which absorbed all the information from Cheonjong Construction’s internal intranet, continues. I accessed the external internet and started researching everything related to this place.

Not only does it follow the flow of funds and raid overseas tax havens, but it also collects and restores data that has been secretly moved and deleted.

Oooh,

as the work reached its peak, the circuits flowing on the surface of the full-body suit worn by Hesperon, ‘Titan’, glowed even more loudly.

In fact, the fact that the current work is progressing smoothly was all possible thanks to this titan, which is the essence of magic engineering created by the dwarf Howard and is no different from a small space ship.

No matter how good the AI performance was, it was impossible to process this vast amount of information using only the power of the machine, which had limitations in energy sources and the size of the artificial eye.

‘This is probably possible because both sides are linked through the “Chain of Pact.”‘

About thirty minutes had passed since we stormed into the office of Cheonjong Construction.

“…found.”

He was finally able to find out who was really behind this.

“It’s the Great Dragon Group… It’s quite a large group.”

Along with the secret secrets they desperately tried to hide.

‘This is enough. ‘I’ll make you pay dearly for bothering me.’

After finishing his work, Hesperon’s steps headed toward the rooftop.

The remaining traces will be erased by the high-ranking vampires of the clan who helped secretly occupy this place.

All he had to worry about was getting this done as quickly and safely as possible.

‘I told you in advance, but Riley will say something if you leave for too long.’

She must have been under a lot of stress as she began her duties as the imperial princess in earnest, and it was her daily routine to often visit him and chat about trivial things.

Considering Riley’s personality, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that that moment was her only break.

‘Well, if I could become acquainted with the next emperor through such trivial things and even provide him with mental care, it would be a much better business.’

Hesperon, who arrived at the rooftop, lightly shrugged his shoulders.

And right after that.

A metal suit that disappeared by activating stealth mode crossed the night sky.

Leaving behind the Cheonjong Construction office, which was quietly being cleaned up as if nothing had happened.

***

It’s a sunny noon in the lounge of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Ability Management Bureau.

“Wow, it’s been noisy since this morning. “Well, it must be terrible that something like that happened.”

Kang Tae-san, who came out in the middle of his office to take a short break from administrative work, sipped warm coffee and glanced at the TV screen.

There, the news that started in the morning was still being talked about noisily.

-So far, Korea has been evaluated as being quite excellent in terms of public security? Of course, after the Seoul terrorist attack, the shine faded considerably, but the institutional response and excellent civic awareness that followed were incomparable to other countries.

-Yes, that’s why I think this incident is even more shocking. No one would have known that the crimes committed behind the mask of a company would be so serious.

-And there are more than one company involved in it. As for the places that have been revealed so far….

“Ugh, no matter how many villains we capture, what are we going to do? “There are so many thieves in the country.”

“That’s right. “Why are you whining about just us?”

Kang Taesan clicked his tongue with his colleague who was in the break room first, then quietly shook his head.

Breaking news that started as soon as the sun rose in the morning.

It started with a small business called ‘Cheonjong Construction’.

“They are fearless. “How dare you do something like that to a state institution?”

They naturally approach public officials to steal internal information and exploit their weaknesses, as well as bribe or threaten them.

Their criminal activities revealed through the media were all jaw-dropping.

No, not just public officials, but also powerful organizations such as returnee associations, all gathered together, so it must be seen as even greater.

‘In the end, my tail will be stepped on like this. It’s all about justice.’

In addition, the criminal activities of other companies that were subsequently revealed were no less trivial.

In particular, the situation of trying to gather together villains who had been quiet for a while and use them as private soldiers was enough to make even the highest-ranking people upset.

It was natural that the news that started in the morning continued until almost lunch.

‘Of course, the current public opinion trend is also suspicious.’

Kang Tae-san, who was sitting on the sofa in the lounge, watching TV and sipping coffee, had a keen look in his eyes.

His intuition, having experienced and analyzed many crimes, was speaking.

What is happening now is not something that happened naturally, but the result of someone’s external force being applied.

‘From various websites as well as small internet newspapers to well-known media outlets. ‘He started talking about related things as if he had made a promise.’

It wasn’t just that.

The evidence revealed in the process was so perfect that it could not even be ignored, and the tax investigation and issuance of a search warrant that followed immediately afterward as if they had been waiting for the case, drove a wedge into that suspicion.

‘Where the villains were hiding, the association’s guardian moved and completely attacked them. ‘If something like this were to happen, it would not have been a significant force at work.’

Not only the media, but also the political world and the legal profession’s returnees’ association took action at once.

Of course, the criminal investigation department where I was located was no exception.

The team he belonged to had not yet finished its work on the Seoul terrorist attack, so other teams were involved in the incident, but he was aware of the general situation.

-This is breaking news! As a result of the investigation, new facts were revealed. There is news that Daeryong Group Chairman Bang Jun-yong is involved behind the recent incidents.

-Huh… If this were true, the ramifications would be really big, right? Isn’t Daeryong Group one of the large corporations that support Korea?

At that time, along with the fuss of those reporting the news on TV, a large bomb exploded that was on a different level than before.

“Great Dragon Group?”

“what? “Isn’t that a large company over there?”

“…You scolded me. From the looks of it, the awakened people are also involved, so overtime for a few days is certain.”

The news that one of the major domestic companies is behind the events that have been talked about so loudly.

As the scale of what was happening was so great, its impact was sure to be no joke.

Kang Taesan heard the chatter around him and hurriedly picked up his smartphone to check the internet.

As expected, the place was no different from chaos.

-Hold on tight! Going down!

-evil!! I put all my money into it! Bang Jun-yong is a bitch!!

-But is this really solid information? If I make a false report later, I will file a complaint. No joke.

-Who wants to go set fire to the broadcasting station together?

-But isn’t this a little strange? No matter how I look at it, it looks like someone is working on Daeryong.

-I am in a relationship, but there have been unpleasant rumors even before Daeryong. I didn’t know it would be like this.

-I survive. No matter what the Great Dragon is, it doesn’t collapse like this.

Numerous posts that are lively and updated in real time.

Kang Taesan clicked his tongue and shook his head.

I wasn’t particularly interested in stocks, but for some people, it may be a matter of life.

That’s why they’re watching the progress of this case with great anxiety.

‘Now that I think about it, I think Seonghyun also said that he was making some money through stocks. Is he going to be okay?’

With a serious expression on his face, he sent a short text message to his friend expressing his concern.

That was exactly the impact this incident had on him.

A relationship that is not completely unrelated, but is not directly intertwined either.

Tiring—

until that text came.

“huh? Reply already… “Isn’t it?”

The sender of the text was a senior member of another team in the criminal investigation department that was currently investigating the case in the news.

I have something to tell you, so let’s meet for a moment.

He must have been busy as he was in charge of a case that became a hot topic, but it was an unexpected call.

‘Are you so busy that you’re trying to ask for support?’

If that were the case, the contact would have been made through the team leader here.

Taesan Kang, who thought for a moment, shrugged his shoulders and walked towards the interrogation room where the senior was.

You’ll find out what’s going on when you go anyway.

Since we were on the same floor of the same building, it wasn’t that far from here.

“…yes? “What did you just say…”

But what I heard from my senior after arriving there.

It was something he had not expected, as he came with a light heart.

“Kuhm—eh, so. “How should I say this…”

The senior cleared his throat a few times and let out a sigh, then let out a sound like a bolt from the blue.

“Cho Hyun-jin… I guess the name Park Mi-young is more familiar to you.”

“yes? “Who?”

A word that changes him from an observer one step away from the incident to a direct participant.

Kang Tae-san was having a great time recently with his first girlfriend.

It was the day he unintentionally returned to solo life.

***

〈Check variables…nothing special.〉

〈Finish the task.〉

“Finished.”

A low voice came from a deserted place.

It was Hesperon, a man in a metal suit who was connected to the Internet with stealth mode activated.

‘The matter has grown to this point, so it won’t be resolved easily. I have no intention of leaving it like that. And if that happens…’

Even if something unfortunate were to happen to the leadership of Daeryong, who later resigned, no one would step forward.

It was not simply a punishment based on force, but a perfect shot that fit the mold of society.

‘If I didn’t have hacking skills, I would have had to go through a more cumbersome process.’

It was intentional not to attack the Great Dragon group from the beginning.

They are also one of the large corporations that occupy a corner of the Korean business community.

Of course, they also have influencers in all walks of life, including the media.

However, the situation was different for companies including Cheonjong Construction, which they treated like their hands and feet.

In the first place, the connection was completely blocked so that the chain could be cut at any time, so even if that side was attacked, they could not take active action.

‘As expected, the moment it exploded, I immediately cut off the tail and got busy erasing the traces.’

But even for a moment.

As news about other companies began to break out one after another, they too must have realized something was wrong.

I thought only Cheonjong Construction had been robbed, but other minions were also being dragged to the surface by their hair.

‘I would have started to respond hurriedly only then…’

but it was already much too late.

While they were working hard to erase the connection, wasn’t he already using all his means to stoke the fire to the fullest?

Growing the business wasn’t that difficult.

Although the current situation was not specifically envisaged, the enormous amount of money that the clan invested in devouring Korea’s shadow and establishing Howard Industries was enormous.

To the extent that it can be done without any hesitation in highlighting a case that is not falsely accused and has clear evidence.

‘If we get there, the game is over.’

If the matter had grown to that extent, there was no use belatedly mobilizing personal connections.

The evidence they thought they had erased in a hurry had already been backed up by Hesperon, who had been busy the night before, and had also been cleaned up for easy viewing.

What more can one do in a situation where even small clues that even oneself had overlooked were clearly presented?

‘…It seems like the matter is bigger than I thought.’

Would anyone believe that this major scandal that shook Korea was brought to light only because of one woman who tried to play a trick on her friend?

It’s been a while since he responded to Kang Tae-san’s text message expressing concern about him, but he hasn’t received any response.

By now, she would have probably gone mental after finding out about the identity of her former lover.

‘Still, Taesan will recover quickly. That’s just the way he is.’

I quietly closed my eyes and prayed for his recovery.

‘Welcome back to solo, my friend.’

I somehow felt refreshed, but I guess it was just my mood.

maybe.