Chapter 50: Special Criminal Containment Facility
"Is this one of the various vested interests?"
I asked.
"There's something a bit more complex. How is it, feeling a little better?"
"Yes. It is slightly better."
The fact that they weren't living comfortably pleased me.
Were they doing it in rotation?
I hoped so.
"Then... shall we go back up?"
Hae-ryeon said, covering her mouth.
She really didn't want to come here, but this was right for me.
"Yes. Going up is good."
"Doesn't it bother you at all, Mr. Hyeon-yul...?"
"Yes. The smell of my own flesh burning or rotting is more..."
"Let's go, Mr. Hyeon-yul."
Hae-ryeon pushed my back.
She didn't want to stay here any longer.
"...Thank you."
Hearing the slightly different tone of gratitude, Hae-ryeon stopped pushing my back and looked at me.
‘He can make expressions like this too?’
Satisfied, Hae-ryeon pushed my back again.
"......?"
I moved forcibly, not knowing what had happened.
The words 'I can go on my own' just wouldn't come out.
"...Excuse me, next time, I would appreciate it if you could tell us before going there."
The prison guard said to Hae-ryeon, flustered.
"I'm sorry. I'll definitely tell you next time. It was absolutely necessary."
Hae-ryeon smiled gently.
At that smile, the prison guard shrunk back and bowed his head.
"Thank you. Then, may I guide you again?"
"Don't tremble, you only need to guide us halfway. You understand, right?"
"...Yes, of course."
"Then, are we finished now?"
"Of course."
The prison guard nodded.
I looked back and forth between the prison guard and Hae-ryeon.
I had felt it with the prison warden too, but it was clear they found Hae-ryeon difficult.
‘...Why?’
The Hae-ryeon I knew was rather the type not to care about hierarchy.
As my eyes met Hae-ryeon's, she smiled brightly.
The prison guard stood up, and Hae-ryeon stood up along with him.
"...Power struggle. It's a power struggle. If you get pushed back, it's over."
She whispered lowly.
‘Ah, a power struggle.’
I nodded.
Things like that were common even when I worked at the company run by villains.
I walked following Hae-ryeon.
Just as silence descended, Hae-ryeon spoke.
"Inside the Special Criminal Containment Facility, the places they're confined differ according to classified grades."
"Where is the Poison King?"
"We have to go to the building on the opposite side from here. Unlike prisons like this where several people are thrown into one room, they manage them one by one."
"Are they all top-tier?"
"Correct."
"How many are there?"
"6. Originally, there were apparently 11."
Fewer than expected.
To think there were only 11.
"Now you know what an amazing thing you did, right, Mr. Hyeon-yul?"
Hae-ryeon grinned.
Hurry, hurry, she hoped I would be proud of myself.
"Why are there so few?"
But the answer that came back was different.
Feeling disappointed, Hae-ryeon replied.
"Few, right? Top-tier ones aren't easily captured. They choose death rather than being caught."
At those words, I recalled the Crimson Witch.
—I have no intention... of struggling pathetically. I have no intention of begging for my life either.
‘Was Asan not the only one like that?’
I found that truly strange.
Weren't they acting as if they were noble independence fighters?
"It is strange."
"Agreed."
"Do you know the reason, Team Leader?"
"...Hmm, I know a little. However, I won't tell you because I don't know if it's true. There's nothing scarier than wrong information, right?"
"That is true. There is nothing more dreadful than wrong information."
As I also spoke as if disliking it, Hae-ryeon couldn't stop the sudden burst of laughter.
Even when I looked at her asking why she was laughing, the laughter didn't stop.
Just feeling the normalcy hit her, finding it fascinating and welcoming, made the laughter erupt.
"Mr. Hyeon-yul."
"Yes."
"I'll do better."
Hae-ryeon's smile spread gently.
—I'll treat you well.
Similar to the Crimson Witch, yet another unfamiliar phrase flowed out.
"I'll make sure you clock out properly, give you lots of vacation time, and if there are any benefits you can receive, I'll quickly bring them over."
Why are you doing this?
I wanted to ask that.
Was keeping me around really that beneficial?
"Please stay healthy in Team 3."
It sounded almost like pleading.
I couldn't read Hae-ryeon's very complex emotions.
"I have no intention of leaving."
I just stated the facts.
That if she upheld all those things, I wouldn't leave.
The moment we crossed over to the opposite building, the faint smell of poison arose.
It wasn't enough to kill, but continuously inhaling it wouldn't be good.
"Were they unable to block the poison?"
I asked, puzzled.
"Seems so. They definitely said they blocked it, but apparently not."
Hae-ryeon also touched her lips, having smelled it too.
"Just a moment. I need to talk about this."
"Yes."
I watched Hae-ryeon move away, then pretended to touch my eyebrow while letting one eye melt into the darkness.
I thought it would be good to memorize how this place looked.
Couldn't there be villains who came to destroy this place?
Moving the eye that had dug into the darkness swiftly, I observed this place.
At most, 3 people existed on one floor.
All were identically bound in an X-shape with something very thick and huge on their hands and feet.
Countless things were stuck into their bodies, and I knew what they were.
They were drugs that temporarily suppressed abilities.
‘Even after being hit with this, the Poison King is emitting poison?’
I looked for the Poison King.
Unlike the other floors, he existed entirely alone.
He wasn't bound in an X-shape like the villains I just saw, but confined in a round tank imbued with magic, surrounded by an unknown liquid.
‘The ability suppressant is going in, but they can’t block it?’
Impossible.
It was useless now, but I had been hit with it myself and knew how effective it was.
‘...Ah. Looks like a hole was pierced.’
Observing carefully, I realized the reason.
How poorly managed was this place?
Feeling the strangeness, I lowered my hand at the sound of footsteps.
"Waited long?"
"No."
"By any chance, did you check the Poison King's location?"
Hae-ryeon asked, raising the corners of her mouth.
My power was darkness, shadow, something like that.
Even I, who used this power, couldn't define it accurately.
"I saw."
I didn't bother hiding it.
Since I had already shown my body melting into darkness.
"Good preparation. Still, be careful. Avoid the CCTVs well."
"Are you just letting it slide?"
Using abilities carelessly here was illegal.
I knew that too.
"Let's just say I'm quite flexible. Except when it comes to our team members' health, of course."
Hae-ryeon pointedly mentioned that part.
Since they were always exposed to dangerous work, she had to protect them at least.
"Still, Mr. Hyeon-yul."
"Yes."
"Tell me what needs to be told."
Hae-ryeon looked with a subtle expression.
It was like an expression that knew something.
‘What does she know?’
Impossible.
I immediately denied it.
She might think of me based on mere suspicion, but there was no evidence.
"What needs to be said?"
I answered as usual.
"I can cover up many things for you."
As if she could really do anything, Hae-ryeon's voice and eyes were full of strong confidence.
I didn't like that kind of confidence.
Because all the villains who had scouted me offered similar expressions and words.
Not a single one kept their word.
It was also obvious that if I said what I had done, anyone other than Jeong-min would look at me strangely.
"I don't want to hear about Mr. Hyeon-yul from someone else's mouth. Then it's too late. What I can do decreases significantly. Even if you cause trouble or make mistakes, let me know first."
As if furious just imagining it, Hae-ryeon clenched her fists tightly.
Actually, she had missed several opportunities.
She could have screwed over the guys who hurled accusations at Hyeon-yul even more.
She regretted it so much that she still kicked her blankets at night sometimes.
"...Ah, I've said this to all our team members, so you don't need to feel burdened."
Hae-ryeon didn't forget to finish by preventing me from overthinking negatively.
Since I seemed to prefer being treated the same as everyone else rather than being special.
"...Are you different, Team Leader?"
I expected an 'Understood', but a slightly sharp question followed instead.
Hae-ryeon suppressed the corners of her mouth that were rising involuntarily.
"Vastly different. I can't say that. But I can say it will be slightly different."
"Understood."
I smiled faintly.
This was something I hadn't heard before.
"If I cause trouble or make mistakes, I will tell you first."
Should I start telling just a tiny bit from now?
Such a thought did arise.
"Good."
Hae-ryeon walked forward, smiling slyly.
Around the area where the Poison King was, prison guards armed with all sorts of protective gear could be seen.
Just being here made their expressions look bad, like people who had entered hell.
"...So, you're saying we should just go into that place leaking poison on our own?"
Hae-ryeon was dumbfounded by the prison guard's words.
She was told she could just go inside after being handed a single card.
"It's not that, um, we can't interfere with the conversation the two of you will have with the Poison King, can we?"
"Are you trying to gloss over this now?"
Hae-ryeon's eyebrow subtly lifted.
"Hey, it's troublesome if someone who knows acts like this."
"Troublesome? The ones who are really in trouble are us, aren't they? We can go in, but using abilities isn't permitted?"
Ha.
Hae-ryeon raised the corners of her eyes.
"......Are you kidding me right now?"
Even when she met the prison warden earlier, even when she informed him about the poison leak, he said he would cooperate as much as possible.
It was nothing special.
All he had to do was sign the document permitting the use of abilities.
The opponent was the Poison King; would he answer just by talking?
"It's not that... it's just, there's a concern that we might unnecessarily provoke the Poison King, that's what I meant."
"Isn't that the same thing? Since when did the Special Criminal Containment Facility fear criminals?"
‘How amusing.’
Watching the argument between Hae-ryeon and the prison guard, I thought it was a waste of time.
In the first place, this poison leak happened because a minute hole formed in the place confining the Poison King.
It was entirely their responsibility.
Yet, the stance of not asking for help even if they died was indeed amusing.
Were they really that afraid of the Poison King?
"Team Leader. Didn't you report the poison leak?"
"I did. It hasn't exceeded the standard limit. That's the answer that came back, but do you believe this?"
Hearing that, I approached one prison guard.
As I reached for the equipment, an angry voice immediately burst out.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"As you can see, it cannot be trusted."
I pointed to the prison guard's reaction.
"I did not know the standard limit was such that a person cannot even remove protective gear."
"If it's protective gear, isn't it over there!"
The prison guard snapped irritably.
What was the problem that they were whining like this?
"Team Leader. Perhaps it has reached the standard limit. Those people are simply just very scared."
As if showing off, I entered without wearing the gear.
By the time the prison guards freaked out, I walked out nonchalantly.
I looked completely fine.
Hae-ryeon suppressed her laughter, and the surprised prison guards asked.
"Are you... okay?"
"Yes. I am fine. It seems the standard limit has been met. Then, will you guide us now?"
"......Yes, pardon?"
"Why are you so surprised? Looking around earlier, there was a notice saying you must always be accompanied by a prison guard everywhere. Aren't you supposed to guide us?"
"...No, so......"
"Isn't it because you usually observe the Poison King well that you adhered to the standard limit? I feel like I might make a mistake and press the wrong button."
"So......"
"We can't even use our abilities, you have to protect us. Isn't accompanying a prison guard the rule?"
I approached the prison guard and stared intently.
My unsmiling face felt strangely terrifying.
"Do you not want to go?"
At my question, the prison guards swallowed dryly.
Everyone was silent.
They feared the Poison King, were scared, and it seemed the prison warden was too.
"If that's the case, you shouldn't just keep quiet, you should contact them. You can contact your superiors saying you can't do it."
I applied pressure.
Whether they went and whined or whatever, contacting them was the right thing to do.
"If you don't want to, we can't help it. Since I'm a newbie, I don't know what I might do with my clumsy hands."
There were indeed aspects that could be forgiven because one was a newbie.
Even if acting cluelessly, the moment the word 'newbie' came out, it was natural to understand with an 'Ah'.
As I entered without hesitation, the prison guards were terrified.
Following inside was also scary.
But not knowing what that man might ruin, they hesitated.
"Wait a moment."
It was Hae-ryeon who stopped this.
"It's because he's a newbie. I apologize."
Hae-ryeon approached me, pretended to stop me, and mentioned the word 'newbie'.
"You, what's wrong? We agreed not to cause trouble."
"Team Leader. It is because I do not understand."
"What don't you understand?"
"The rules here state that one must be accompanied by a prison guard, but this changes in front of the Poison King. If the Special Criminal Containment Facility isn't watching the Poison King's mood, what else could it be?"
At my remark, the prison guards bristled, but no one could open their mouths.
If they spoke, it was a situation where they had to follow inside.
"...That is a bit questionable. It is indeed embarrassing behavior."
Hae-ryeon waved the card as if showing off.
Look.
The card you just handed over.
"From my perspective, it seems either there's no one to subdue the Poison King, or they don't usually look at the Poison King, isn't this dangerous?"
I openly mentioned the corruption.
If this wasn't corruption, what was?
Seeing them unable to go together like this, flustered, how bad must it usually be?
"Oh....... Right. I don't tolerate things like this. I should report it immediately......"
"Wait a moment!"
The prison guard stopped Hae-ryeon.
"Wh- What are you doing right now?"
"I'll return it exactly as is. What are you doing? You don't permit the use of abilities, just hand over a keycard, and when we come, poison is leaking everywhere. Just as our newbie said, it's very suspicious, so I'm trying to report it, is there some problem?"