abcnovels
Chapter 158: A Major Scandal (?) (5)
Chapter 158: A Major Scandal (?) (5)
Chapter 158: A Major Scandal (?) (5)
Translator: miraclerifle
"What did you just say?”
“What else? Make a fake paternity test.”
“You want me to make it?”
“Of course. A real one will definitely show that we are not related.”
Yoo Jaeha was flustered.
“You want to create a fake son in order to loot some artifacts?”
“Who said anything about creating one? I have no use for him once I have the artifacts. I prefer daughters.”
That was true. Yoo Jaeha preferred a pretty daughter over a son as well. Even if he was to have a niece or nephew, a daughter who looked like Ju-Heon would be a pretty girl. She could easily take the title of Miss Korea.
His gaze must have seemed perverted as Ju-Heon said something in a serious tone.
"An age difference of 26 years is a crime.”
“What the hell?! I wasn’t even thinking about that!”
“Whale hunting will be the least of your worries if you touch my daughter. I will make your whale disappear from the Earth.”
“I’ve already gone whale hunting anyway! They dragged me when I was 9 after lying to me about going to eat pork cutlets! I don’t know how they trick the kids these days. Anyways, go make a daughter first if you want to keep talking about this!”
“Whatever you do is fine. Just make sure the paternity test looks real.”
Yoo Jaeha put his palm to his forehead.
This person was saying he was going to steal a child’s artifact as his parent.
Basically, it was like saying, ‘mommy will keep your allowance for you. I'll give it back to you when you get older.’ That seemed to be a good comparison.
“Why don’t you just walk into the Pentagon and loot it?”
“I will do that if I don't like what you come up with.”
‘Oh wow, he’s thought about it.’
But it was understandable why Ju-Heon was choosing this method. An eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth. That was Ju-Heon's belief and he despised the tabloids that the Monarch of Gossip had created. He would just respond by using their tabloid for his advantage.
But even still...
"Will that kid obey and follow you?”
Ju-Heon, who was sitting with his chin in his hands, started to snicker.
“It doesn’t matter. We can just kidnap the kid if needed.”
Ju-Heon peeked toward Seol-A. That made Seol-A, who specialized in spying, abduction, infiltration, and other stealthy endeavors, sigh.
She would do it because it was an order from Ju-Heon, but this would make the Captain-nim into an unmarried father!
‘So sad.’
Seol-A put her hand over her face. At least it would all be resolved after things were over.
Yoo Jaeha reached his hand out toward Ju-Heon.
“Then please give it to me.”
“Give you what?”
“A toothbrush or a cigarette butt or something.”
"Why?”
“Why else?! I need to at least get your DNA and run the test even if I change the results!”
Ju-Heon just blankly stared at Yoo Jaeha for a moment before responding.
“You're going to change the results anyway. Just put yours in there.”
“W, what did you say?”
‘This human!’
"Ah, use this for the kid’s side.”
Ju-Heon handed him a black bag. There was some hair and the stick of an eaten lollipop, presumably belonging to Louie Martin.
Yoo Jaeha couldn't believe it.
“......Look at this guy making me do all sorts of things to create a fake.”
“Anyway, make your first priority taking Leonardo da Vinci's artifact away. That’s something we must have.”
Yoo Jaeha quickly asked a question as Ju-Heon got up from his seat.
“Huh? That’s it? What about the Monarch of Delicacies?”
Seol-A asked Ju-Heon a question in response.
“Can’t you take care of the Monarch of Delicacies with the Monarch of Destitution?”
“I will. But not right now.”
“Why?”
“The Monarch of Delicacies has too good of a public image. You know about how Goebbels was greatly cheered by the public? The Monarch of Delicacies’ public image is stellar probably because of that buff.”
‘His image is definitely much better than our Captain-nim, that’s for sure.’
It was rare for Seol-A and Yoo Jaeha to have the same thought.
Ju-Heon calmly started to speak again, not caring about what his subordinates might be thinking.
“So, think about what would happen if he ended up with misfortunes because of Irene’s power. Irene will end up as the bad guy.”
Ju-Heon did not want Irene to be seen as the villain. He also needed to tread carefully when using Irene’s artifact since the balance was quite sensitive.
“There’s also someone I need that bastard to fight.”
Seol-A's eyes opened wide.
‘Is he talking about the Monarch of Pollution?’
The Monarch of Delicacies was a chef. He wanted fresh ingredients, but the Monarch of Pollution was a destroyer of the environment. He would pollute the ground, water, and everything else, making it obvious why they would end up as bitter enemies.
“In that case...”
“I have too much to do to take all of them down one by one. I also found someone who will annoy the Monarch of Delicacies until then.”
Ju-Heon saw the name < George Holten > on his phone screen as he snickered again.
There was a simple reason behind why he was laughing.
It was because he had found an unexpected talent in George Holten.
< Expert Torturer > was a type of talent he had never seen in the past.
Well, George Holten didn't want to use artifacts because he still found artifacts and artifact users to all be the devil, but...
None of that mattered.
‘I need to quickly grow these kinds of bastards and make them my slaves.’
George Holten sent him a text at that moment.
[Passed.]
Ju-Heon started to smile.
Chairman Kwon was smiling with satisfaction at that moment.
There was a simple reason for it.
‘I was wondering why Seo Ju-Heon was being helpful for once.’
George Holten, who was definitely on Ju-Heon’s side, had apparently asked to add a new clause into the law.
Chairman Kwon had wondered what nonsense George would say, but it was unexpectedly something that would also help Chairman Kwon.
[Additional clause about minors and artifact possession.]
There had already been many discussions because of Louie Martin, the Monarch of Fraud.
[Minors’ artifact usage, should we allow it?]
[Children are too young to use artifacts.]
In such a situation, the majority believed that children needed a guardian artifact user.
There were currently no laws related to minors and artifact usage right now.
There had been no children handling artifacts until now.
Actually, there had been some, but unless they were in the Expert-Grade (High-grade. People who can cause issues in the world) or Talent-Grade (Middle-grade. People who can cause issues in a country), they would not really be revealed to the world.
That might have been why this additional clause brought up by George Holten ended up quickly making it to Pandora's members for a vote.
The clause was simple.
[Minors can use artifacts after parents (or guardian if there are no parents) give consent.]
[Children under the age of 12 will only be able to use artifacts under the supervision of their parents or guardians.]
[All artifacts will be moved to the parent or guardian’s possession should they not give consent.]
[That artifact will be returned when the child becomes an adult.]
Pandora members quickly passed the motion.
It was a unanimous approval.
Of course, their evil plans were too obvious.
‘I'm sure they're all aiming for Leonardo da Vinci's artifact.’
Everybody in the world probably knew about Leonardo da Vinci. An artifact’s rank was determined by the Pandora system artifact and the Executive Board based on three factors.
-
Is it related to divinity?
-
How famous is the individual?
-
Ability (how much influence can it have on human society) and how is the risk?
The ability and risk could make an S-Grade (Legendary Hero-Grade) artifact end up as an A-Grade or SS-Grade artifact, but it had already been proven that artifacts’ abilities were better based on the fame of the individual.
Chairman Kwon was naturally one of the people with his greedy eyes on Leonardo da Vinci's artifact.
‘Most importantly, this little kid has no parents.’
That was right. Louie Martin, the Monarch of Fraud, was originally an orphan whom General Keira, the Monarch of War had shown support.
Yes, Keira, the leader of the US TSOF who had disappeared after fighting against Ju-Heon, had been taking care of Louie Martin.
It was because he was talented in using artifacts, similar to that child who used Medusa’s power.
‘It looks like he ran away from the US after the TSOF was disbanded.’
The US had tried to erase all traces of the TSOF and its artifact users after receiving the scorn of the entire world.
He had escaped before he was hunted down and ran into the Monarch of Gossip. He then rose to the Monarch-Grade after finding the Divine-Grade artifact that suddenly showed up in front of him.
Chairman Kwon started to smile as he knew about this.
‘I can become his guardian and make him work for me.’
He would happily welcome a child with Leonardo da Vinci's artifact.
It was at that moment.
“Will you really sponsor me?”
Louie Martin, the Monarch of Fraud's eyes sparkled. Chairman Kwon leisurely answered the child’s question.
“I will give you my full monetary support as well. As long as you promise to use that artifact for my benefit.”
Based on what he had heard from the Monarch of Delicacies, Leonardo da Vinci's artifact required significant Affinity and Fit. It was something that could not be used without any talent for art.
Louie Martin's artistic talent was at a genius level since he could use Leonardo da Vinci's artifact.
He would not miss out on such a talent.
“But before that, you're not really Seo Ju-Heon’s hidden child, right?”
“I have no relations whatsoever to that man, so you don't need to worry about it.”
“Then that’s fine. A parent has priority in the face of the law versus a guardian.”
Chairman Kwon flicked his finger and told the secretary to bring over a contract.
“I'll be your guardian if you sign right here.”
Louie Martin nodded his head. Chairman Kwon nodded his head in satisfaction.
The contract Chairman Kwon offered looked like a regular contract, but it was actually a slave contract created by an artifact.
In some ways, it was similar to Ju-Heon's Code of Hammurabi. There would be retribution from the artifacts should he go against the contract.
‘Alright, sign. Your artifacts will all become mine.’
Louie Martin was about to sign the contract under the sneering of Yoon Shi Woo, Chairman Kwon, and the Monarch of Gossip.
Something happened at that moment.
Bang bang bang!
Clang!
“!”
TKBM’s office started to be destroyed.
A strong gust of wind destroyed the glass windows while the office furniture inside were flipped over.
“Aaaaaah!”
“Kyaaaa! What the?!”
The secretaries and employees inside started to scream as they were sent flying.
The chaotic aura roaring inside started to threaten the people.
Boom!
The building started to shake and the sound of things breaking filled the hall.
The moans of the dead started to echo throughout the building.
The black aura started to turn into the shapes of goblins or the grim reapers as they attacked people.
“Aaah!”
“What is this?!”
The evil spirits disappeared like ashes before appearing here and there to attack people, making them lose consciousness.
Yoon Shi Woo, who was on the ground, suddenly raised his head.
"What the hell is this?! Who the hell is doing this?!”
This was definitely the work of an artifact user.
It was understandable.
“She is?!”
The woman leaning on the window was a beauty.
‘Lee Seol-A?’
He was certain it was her.
This was the Chinese excavation team member who had lately been by Ju-Heon’s side for some reason.
However, she looked like a grim reaper because of her black clothes and serious expression.
Yoon Shi Woo started to grind her teeth.
"What the hell is that bitch doing?!”
“Hold on, team leader-nim! Do you think China might be involved in this somehow...?!”
“What?”
“That woman seems like she’s on Seo Ju-Heon's side, but there’s rumors that China put her there.”
China wasn't involved in this at all, but they gulped since they had no idea about that.
Yoon Shi Woo motioned for the guards to attack Seol-A, but Seol-A turned into black ashes and disappeared.
She then appeared right behind Louie Martin. She looked toward Chairman Kwon and Yoon Shi Woo with disgust before starting to smile viciously.
All of the excavation manpower inside TKBM were her allies at one point. But they were the people responsible for killing her Captain-nim and all of them.
Grind.
The ghosts under her command started to release their eerie aura again.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
They destroyed the walls, the floor, and then the ceiling.
Yoon Shi Woo started to swear in the middle of this pandemonium where he could not even see right in front of him.
“That crazy bitch! Hey you! Little kid! Take out your artifact! Use the artifact to grab that woman! Show some gratitude to the Chairman-nim for becoming your sponsor!”
It was at that moment.
“Who the hell are you to tell someone to do something with my artifact?”
“!”
The lights went out and the inside of the building became pitch dark.
They then saw Ju-Heon standing in an area that looked as if it was lit up by a candle.
“Seo Ju-Heon!”
Ju-Heon roughly pulled Louie Martin up by the collar.
“Alright, let’s go to your atelier.”
“W, what?!”
Yoon Shi Woo scoffed in response.
“He’s already signed the contract to have the Chairman-nim as his guardian. See what happens if you go to the atelier. See what happens if you put your hand on any of the artifacts! We'll get you arrested for larceny!”
“You guys are the ones committing larceny.”
“What?”
Ju-Heon waved a paper in the air. This was none other than the paternity test.
Ju-Heon smiled annoyingly.
“You know that parents have first priority over guardians, right?”
Yoon Shi Woo and Chairman Kwon could not believe it.
“Stop with the bullshit. Parent? Hey you! You and he don’t look anything alike! You're trying to scam people with something that even dogs wouldn't believe!”
They already knew that it was all just lies spread by the Monarch of Gossip to bring Ju-Heon’s image down.
But Ju-Heon started to laugh for some reason.
“Who said that I'm the parent?”
“What?”
“Take a good look.”
There was an unexpected name on the paper Ju-Heon was waving.
[Yoo Jaeha, Louie Martin]
[Probability of Paternity (%) : 99.92%]
[This is proving conclusive evidence that Subject 1 (Yoo Jaeha) and subject 2 (Louie Martin) are father and son.]
Ju-Heon then started to laugh even louder.
“This isn’t even forged.”
The file was legitimate. Of course, Yoo Jaeha was in a state of disbelief and could not believe it at all.
Ju-Heon then started to smile.
“Based on this, we are taking the artifact. Legally.”