LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 349. Bunker (3)
Thinking back, I only heard one Earthling testify that they had “hired a messenger service.”
In reality, there’s no evidence that anyone commanded a servant.
So this suddenly raised a suspicion.
Perhaps, according to the current revelations, Cheongchun could actually be some S-Class Hunter in disguise.
‘Interesting, if it’s nonsense.’
Maybe that was what the man named Oliver thought too, as he firmly continued his explanation.
The foreigner was quite baffled by this bunker becoming known to the outside world.
“This is undoubtedly a colleague’s revelation. However, the personnel residing in this bunker are bound by a confidentiality pact, similar to Enzo’s. That only leaves the outsiders!”
“So, you think my informant is affiliated with the Cheongchun Guild, is that it?”
“Y-yes. Strictly speaking—”
“But didn’t those in the chat room make a separate pact regarding that?”
“Excuse me?”
“I mean, didn’t you have precautions in place with folks from Spectrum just in case things went wrong?”
“Ah….”
“If what you said is true, then that person from the Cheongchun Guild should also have been bound by an item for secrecy.”
The American in front of him opened his mouth reluctantly.
“That part… It’s somewhat embarrassing for the other colleagues, but…”
His pitiful voice soon lent credibility to his earlier claim.
“Actually, only 50% of our group has taken confidentiality pacts.”
Half of four.
So that means only two people have made pacts.
“I received a promise before disclosing information about the ‘Eternal Youth Potion.’ If you reveal our connection to outsiders, you must face death….”
It felt like it expressed the situation where nothing was going as planned.
The new translation device boasted by PIXY made a slight error in the middle of the conversation.
“Ah, of course, I had to mention the ‘Eternal Youth Potion’ at any opportunity to grow our team…”
“So you were originally not subject to confidentiality?”
“I was the first to earn trust by acquiring the scroll at a relatively early stage.”
Fortunately, the trouble with the translator didn’t last long.
“But that person from the Cheongchun Guild seems to have a phobia of the [Knight’s Pact].”
The basic AI voice translating English to Korean echoed in the air.
“He said he absolutely doesn’t want to use an item that makes your head explode with just one mistake, and later approached me separately for a deal.”
But if such talk came up, the mood shifts.
“… So I’ve shared a certain skill with that friend.”
“Skill?”
“I exempted Cheongchun from the confidentiality pact in exchange for that. So that person is currently under suspicion.”
Assuming this, there shouldn’t be any inconsistencies from a magic studies perspective.
‘Oh ho.’
In fact, Kang Chang-ho had been working with them all along.
After a failed operation targeting South Korea, he quickly distanced himself when the very existence of the alliance was jeopardized.
Moreover, pretending not to be involved in front of some SS-Class Awakened while leaking information?
Such deductions were feasible.
‘Thinking about it, that sounds reasonable!’
Indeed.
When a specific group finds itself in crisis, it’s easy to find instances of betrayal among those who had been loyally serving them.
Thus, I didn’t completely dismiss the statements made by the opposing party.
But the issue lay with the one making the claims.
“I feel a bit of revenge right now.”
“That would be directed at the member from the Cheongchun Guild.”
“Of course, I’ve committed a grave sin, but being threatened with safety due to the snitching of someone who was wrong along with me is unreasonably unpleasant.”
“Hm.”
“Moreover, it’s now that it comes to mind—are you the Awakened accompanying me, Kang Chang-ho from South Korea?”
“Did it look that way?”
“There’s a recognition facility in the bunker. So saying this under the assumption that the person is Kang Chang-ho, I’m suspicious of him too.”
“……”
“Just so you know, Kang Chang-ho escaped traps our organization had prepared, which were designed to be escape-proof… as if he had prepared in advance.”
A mammal now reduced to a tail between its legs before a flood, yet here stands that very figure animatedly chatting.
Logically, why should I take seriously the final desperate utterances of someone trembling in fear?
“Anyway, it’s all just speculation at this point. But if someone using the code name Cheongchun is around you, then honestly, I hope that person goes down with me.”
When I think about it carefully, there are certainly odd parts here and there, but Kang Chang-ho’s probability of being with them seemed low.
‘It’s not like he has an aversion to [Knight’s Pact] or anything…’
Well, let’s put that aside.
‘This part is obvious enough not to require further elaboration based on personal experience.’
‘That they easily exited the traps set up in India certainly raises suspicions. But what I need to pay attention to is Kang Chang-ho’s actions afterwards. He rushed back to Korea at a crazy speed.’
Disguised blue eyes rolled through the air.
I allowed a moment of thought without a change in expression.
‘Even if it was a private jet, the speed of travel between India and Korea is difficult to explain. Kang Chang-ho must have used the [Teleportation] item at that time.’
Thus, some questions regarding Kang Chang-ho are tidied up.
Now, let’s wrap up the conversation with this global friend.
“Hm.”
I put the [Scream Stake] I had been holding back into the item box.
Then I made a statement.
“Oliver.”
“Yes?”
By the way, the reason I stowed away my equipment was to make my fists easier to clench.
“I’ve been mulling over what I heard from you for a while now.”
“Yes, yes.”
“But by any chance, about that information, which you said was transmitted as a price for the pact exemption…”
“Yes?”
“Did it involve a method to enhance someone’s awakening?”
Since entering this bunker, I had continually said that.
There were way too many Awakened around Andy Oliver.
If the employees had been low-tier psychics from E to F ranks, it might have changed the narrative slightly.
But those residing in the bunker were indeed at least B-rank.
“… Yes.”
Soon, an answer came.
“…Yup, yes. Some of our staff are unnatural Awakened.”
As soon as I heard that, I hit Andy Oliver.
“Whaack!”
This is a time when supernatural powers that once appeared only in movies have now become reality.
Therefore, it’s not like there hadn’t been attempts to awaken magic through technology in the past.
Certainly, Earth has conducted studies regarding awakening triggers.
[Breaking News from Seonhan Ilbo]
[Now we can even do artificial fertilization… but why is there no attempt at artificial awakening?]
Put simply, this had become a desperate last resort.
‘Here, mammals are no different from newborns just starting to walk when it comes to magic power. If they try to evolve quickly, of course, it would backfire…’
Honestly, magic is something that awakens on its own if you have the talent, and especially it’s no simple task to turn individuals lacking proper qualities into mages.
Whether you imprison them in a prison full of monster blades or not.
Ultimately, such a method only leaves serious aftereffects, regardless of success or failure.
But right in front of me, this mammal confessed they had created an artificial Awakened themselves. Therefore, the conclusion was simple.
“Those Awakened in this bunker are all victims of torture!”
That explained the unusually high number of superpowered individuals.
If I were to open each room’s door for inspection, I would probably easily discover what instruments were used to promote awakening.
But had Andy Oliver shackled those poor laborers with the name of a confidentiality pact and locked them underground?
“Didn’t those fans you just mentioned choose to work here willingly? No, they can’t be. No matter how much they’re paid, how could someone take such dangerous a risk?”
“……”
“Oh dear. Just look at you struggling to answer. Clearly, you must have engaged in illegal activities right from the moment you recruited them. Save your magic, don’t you dare breathe, you!”
I hit the enemy once more.
For such beings, even a drop of magic felt too precious to waste.
The thought that using magic might stain the beautiful mana of the Earth with those creatures worried me.
“Honestly, it’s because of these guys that I can’t burn my notebook.”
“Yes? Notebook?”
But there’s no point in letting out such empty frustrations.
So, I quickly collected my thoughts.
“Anyway, I must revise the contents of the [Knight’s Pact] as you said, Andy.”
At the same time, the victims who had already been signed to die were somewhat unfortunate to rescue at this point.
But I thought I must at least prevent this unreasonable system.
No matter how rich they were, they probably couldn’t use rare items like pacts for the sheer number of employees.
“From now on, workers should be obtained fairly with proper pay.”
The employment contracts here would have necessarily utilized [Fairy’s Promise] quite a bit.
Thus, I commanded the mammal in front of me.
Release all the item effects within one month. Whether using high-grade potions or invalidating conditions with a higher contract.
If anyone came here against their will, they must be released.
‘Oh, wait, but if I do this, won’t it leave me with too few personnel for future contingencies? And what if a new terrorist attack occurs, and those signed contracts lead to simultaneous death? That’s a serious issue!’
But at this point, a particularly bothersome thought arose.
So, I indirectly inquired about the worries on the other side, unsure whether to take this as a good thing or not.
“There are more employees voluntarily working here than you think. Many ordinary people are longing to become Awakened no matter the price.”
“Ah ha.”
“Even if I fulfill your request, the personnel decrease will likely be around 30%. The remaining employees will try their best to keep their promises, so please spare us. D-Don’t look at me strangely saying things like plants and whatnot.”
“Whuh?”
“But by any chance, Kim Gi-ryeo, were you truly an undercover agent for the Korean government as the rumors say? Do you have qualifications in torture techniques…?”
In any case, the conversation had been wrapped up nicely.