Chapter 47: It Always Starts with Trivial Things
Shin-woo moved aside and spoke.
"This, you see..."
I focused on Shin-woo's words.
Corporate investigation.
It was a quite unfamiliar mission.
"It's one of the missions we do periodically; first, the managers investigate the companies."
"Yes."
"Then, if suspicious circumstances pop up, that's when we move."
"Why do we move?"
I thought this might also be miscellaneous work.
It wasn't a mission where I directly faced villains.
"Because it's most convenient for us to respond."
"What do you mean by that?"
"We have more legal advantages on our side."
"Ah..."
I immediately understood.
Following the law as much as possible was easier.
‘Was Shin Dae-ho discovered while investigating large corporations like this?’
It hadn't been revealed yet which large corporation run by the villain Shin Dae-ho was involved with.
Since the opponent was a large corporation, it seemed difficult to catch their tail.
‘They’ll handle it themselves.’
I didn't pay it any more mind.
I didn't want to engage in a war of nerves over a villain who wasn't even lingering before my eyes.
"Anyway, this is something everyone wants to do."
"Why is that?"
"That's because it's perfect for slacking off."
Shin-woo smiled brightly.
Sometimes, there needed to be missions like this to cool one's head.
"Didn't you say there were suspicious circumstances? If we have to look around, it will take quite some time."
"This, ...um, can't be done secretly. The inspection happens on the day, but the other side has to know too."
"Are you trying to say it's just a superficial investigation?"
"It's not entirely superficial, but the other side will interfere, right? It means a complete investigation is difficult."
"In that case, it means we can investigate properly if we stop the interference, right?"
At the words I threw out, Shin-woo narrowed his eyes.
"...That might be true too."
Everyone had done it that way, and although they tried to do something different, there were too many watching eyes.
The power he possessed wasn't suitable for offense; beyond that, it couldn't be applied.
But if it were Hyeon-yul.
Shin-woo took a step towards Hyeon-yul.
Soon, he lowered his voice.
"Can you do it?"
"I can."
"Do you want to investigate in detail?"
"Missions must always be handled properly."
Since it was an easy mission, it would have been fine to take it easy, but I had no intention of doing so.
When he acts like this, doesn't it make you feel proud and want to help?
"Alright. Let's do it today."
Shin-woo smiled, showing his determination.
Before going inside, I looked up.
The company that needed investigating looked like a large-scale small-to-medium enterprise even at a glance.
The factory, in particular, was rather large.
‘...It’s neat. Looks new.’
I thought while looking at the building.
It seemed they had quite a lot of money.
"Are you nervous?"
Shin-woo asked, chuckling.
"I am not nervous."
At my answer, Shin-woo lightly pointed to his own ear.
A wireless earphone was plugged into his ear.
"If it's urgent, contact me with this."
"Understood."
I followed Shin-woo inside.
To know whether this was a company run by villains or not, there was no choice but to look closely.
There wasn't a single place that openly declared they were villains.
I had to examine meticulously.
Conversation.
Symbols.
The smell of blood.
Most were filtered out by this smell of blood.
No matter how much one washed and washed the body, the ingrained smell of blood rarely faded.
I watched Shin-woo walking confidently.
He looked very natural.
‘How do I look, I wonder.’
After transforming the magic embedded in the smartwatches, centered around the last festival incident, everyone had changed their appearance.
It didn't matter if it changed, but exactly one person came to mind.
—Mister. Play with Se-rin next time too.
Rubbing her sleepy eyes, Se-rin held out her pinky finger.
I had made another promise.
It was a finger held out because it was fascinating that such a fragile being, weak enough to break just by grasping its neck, was looking at me.
"...Who are you?"
Holding a paper cup, an employee wandering inside the company approached, looking at the two people warily.
"Ah, hello. We came for an employment environment investigation."
Shin-woo presented his civil servant ID.
To approach the company naturally, borrowing the power of the Ministry of Labor side was best.
Employment environment investigations actually took place.
Due to manpower reasons, investigations weren't conducted on all companies.
I knew they investigated places where problems frequently occurred or suspicious places.
It was arranged so that if someone contacted the Ministry of Labor side and asked about them, they would reply, 'They are actual employees'.
"...Investigation?"
"Yes, it's a simple investigation, so you don't need to be nervous. By any chance, could you guide us to the president's office?"
"......Yes, follow me."
The employee unnecessarily checked his surroundings.
If told someone was dispatched from the Empire, it was natural to get nervous even without having committed a crime.
The employee pretended not to be conscious of it, desperately looking ahead.
‘It’s this easy.’
This situation of heading to the president's office so nonchalantly looked quite different to me.
I had infiltrated countless times, but this was the first time attempting infiltration in this manner.
Entering confidently through the main gate was an extremely difficult task.
I felt I was experiencing many things after coming to the Black Eagle.
"Here... it is."
The employee pointed in front of the president's office and quickly bowed his head.
"Thank you."
At Shin-woo's answer, the employee walked away quickly as if fleeing and disappeared.
<Did you see anything?>
<There was no smell of blood.>
<Looks like it's not here. There's another place we need to stop by nearby.>
<I will investigate further.>
Following my answer, Shin-woo knocked on the door nonchalantly.
"Yes, come in."
A voice came from inside.
The president, who was playing a game on his cellphone, froze at the sight of the strangers.
"We're from the Ministry of Labor."
At Shin-woo's quick words, the president lifted his bottom from the seat and stared wide-eyed.
"What... is the matter?"
"Ah, we came for an employment environment investigation."
"...Employment environment?"
"Yes. We'll walk around inside the company a bit. That should be alright, right?"
"Yes, yes, you may do so."
The president answered with a dazed face, then slowly stiffened.
"Does this, uh, have a big... impact?"
"It's big. Follow-up measures may be taken."
"Why, may I know why my company was selected?"
"It's an internal secret."
"...Ah. Then, excuse me, but may I just check once? The world is unsettling these days."
"Aah, you can contact the Ministry of Labor and ask."
Shin-woo responded nonchalantly.
The answer would be the same anyway.
The president approached, checked the civil servant ID hanging around Shin-woo's neck, and also looked at me.
"Just a moment."
The president took out his cellphone, searched here and there, and then made a call.
He openly mentioned their names and asked if such employees existed.
‘A scenario from the playbook came up right away.’
Before entering, I knew this was one of the various scenarios Shin-woo had mentioned.
Just seeing the hallway, I didn't know what kind of company it was, but coming to the president's office, I could tell it was a snack-related company.
Because I could see the word 'snack' within various award names.
I could wonder what connection snacks and villains could possibly have.
Cellphones, earphones that people commonly use.
Coffee, snacks that people often eat, all sorts of bakeries.
Villains were also making all of these.
Villains knew better than anyone that you couldn't commit villainy without money.
They made good quality products and had people use them.
The prices were also reasonable.
Why wouldn't there be products made by villains among those praised by people?
Villains already existed closely among people.
"......"
The president hung up the phone and looked at the two people.
They were real.
As Shin-woo smiled, the president swallowed dryly.
"Ah, I will guide you."
"No. We can walk around ourselves."
Shin-woo didn't allow the president to accompany them.
In reality, they might have requested guidance, but this part was up to the discretion of the responsible personnel.
"We need to look at it objectively, so please understand."
"......Understood."
The president backed down.
There was no reason to unnecessarily offend them.
"If by chance we need guidance, we will come again."
"...Yes. There are many machines in the factory, so please be careful."
"Don't worry. It's not like we've only done this once or twice."
Shin-woo smiled gently, then lightly bowed his head.
"Let's go."
He urged me and went outside.
I looked at the president.
Anxiety was visible.
He seemed to be trembling in fear, worried something would be discovered.
‘Looks like there’s employment corruption or some other corruption.’
I turned my body.
If that president were a villain, he wouldn't have harbored fear.
Rather, he would have looked with the eyes of a predator wondering how to kill.
—The net profit is similar compared to other places. But you saw the building, right? Completely renovated, scale increased, and this president's pockets have gotten thicker too. This place is just somewhere that makes products needed elsewhere.
Shin-woo summarized the mission details as he spoke.
He said they were receiving additional money from somewhere, and they needed to find out who they received that money from.
‘So I just need to find the corruption.’
Among the numerous corruptions, the possibility of a villain being involved was also high.
Even if not necessarily a villain, it was clearly a suspicious place in many ways.
We wandered around the exterior and interior of the building.
Regardless of what the president might have said, the working people were wearing work clothes that anyone could see were newly taken out.
The sight of them bowing deeply immediately upon seeing us could also be seen frequently.
Then, if caught diligently wiping machines, they would spout nonsense like 'We normally clean at this time'.
<The real Ministry of Labor needs to come here, seriously?>
Shin-woo's message popped up.
<Are you going to report it?>
<I can make a suggestion. Look at the people.>
Following Shin-woo's gaze, I also turned my head.
<Does it look like they're keeping legal working hours? Just looking, it seems like they don't even get paid for overtime.>
<I will look into it.>
<...Huh?>
Shin-woo looked at me.
Suddenly, determination seemed to ignite in me.
<Isn't it just a matter of ruining this place?>
<Ah, no. No, Hyeon-yul-ah.>
<Why is that?>
I didn't understand.
Isn't it better for a factory like this to just go bankrupt?
<Because everyone works here because they can't quit. Because if it's not here... they have no choice but to work here.>
I looked at the people.
They were working while watching us warily.
If nothing else, I could understand the feeling that it had to be here.
Because the Black Eagle was such a place for me.
<Then, it would be best to aim for improvement without causing bankruptcy. Of course, only if there is something during the mission to resolve this.>
I reached a conclusion.
It was an additional task, and it didn't necessarily have to be done.
Because the mission I had to do now wasn't this.
<Alright, let's do that.>
Shin-woo grinned slyly for no particular reason.
Whether he was a villain in the past or whatever, he thought living well in the present was important.
‘In that sense, Hyeon-yul is living well now.’
Hasn't he started caring about other people?
Whatever it was, the first step was always the greatest.
‘By the way, the Team Leader said she's holding a welcome party, I wonder if things are okay now.’
—Let's have a welcome party. Somehow, because we didn't do this, I feel like Mr. Hyeon-yul is sort of lingering.
Shin-woo unconditionally agreed with Hae-ryeon's words.
The difference between going through a welcome party and not was immense.
‘Right, right. A person has to do things like this to be happy.’
Didn't we clearly show last time that the meaning of a welcome party Hyeon-yul knew was different from our welcome party?
Waa-reu-reu.
At the sudden sound of something falling, Shin-woo reflexively turned his head.
‘How cunning.’
Shin-woo looked displeased at the awkwardly fallen objects.
Why wouldn't he know it was a plan to divert their attention?
But I have to fall for it.
"Are you okay?"
Shin-woo ran over, and I moved in the opposite direction.
"......?"
Shin-woo's eyes widened.
Why are you going that way?
He wanted to ask that, but instead, he looked at the expressions of the people who had dropped the objects.
‘Let’s get caught up here.’
He had to.
Because their eyes were begging him to stay here.
‘...What are they trying to hide with such clumsy actions?’
I quickly walked towards the factory without hesitation.
People were stacking boxes full on a forklift.
They looked quite rushed.
"Stop."
As I spoke, the people looked simultaneously.
Their faces showed they had been caught doing something they shouldn't have been.
"Th- This needs to be moved urgently right now......"
"Yes. Put it down."
Before the people could stop me, I approached and opened a box.
‘......Drugs.’
I noticed immediately from the smell assaulting my nose.
‘It’s not the employment environment that’s wrong, this is what’s wrong.’
They were all in cahoots.
Just because they sold drugs didn't mean they were all villains.
They might just be connected to drug dealers.
"Put that down."
I spoke coolly, looking towards the back.
A syringe was being held.
Tak.
The man was so surprised he dropped the syringe.
The trick was obvious.
They said that if you got injected with the drug once, an uncontrollable addiction would surge.
If they couldn't shut his mouth, wouldn't they just make him an accomplice?
‘But even if I got hit, I wouldn’t even get high.’
I had been injected with narcotics to the point of exhaustion while being experimented on.
I might have felt something back then, but not now.
I probably wouldn't feel anything.
However, I didn't want to be injected unwillingly.
"Where did you receive this from?"
I asked quietly.
The backing behind this incident might be simple drug dealers, but it was worth shaking them down.
"......"
They all shut their mouths as if they had been threatened.
I knew they were criminals, but they weren't villains.
Touching them felt ambiguous, making it quite awkward.
I turned my head at the sound of someone approaching.
It was Shin-woo.
"Are you oka—"
Before Shin-woo's words could finish, I approached Shin-woo.
The box he held in his hand.
As soon as I saw the symbol stamped there, I couldn't help but ask.
No matter how I looked, it was the symbol I had seen.
"Where did this come from?"
"Huh...? This is a snack?"
Shin-woo was flustered.
Did he like this snack so much that he would rush over?