abcnovels
Chapter 115: Owl Hunting (6)
Chapter 115: Owl Hunting (6)
Chapter 115: Owl Hunting (6)
After returning from the Black Star Organization’s HQ, Ohjin started to spread the information contained in the USB to the guilds that were after them.
Needlessly to say, he thoroughly hid the fact that he was the source of the information.
‘It’ll be troublesome if they ask me where I got the information.’
Ohjin couldn’t reveal the overpowered ‘Domination’ skill to others.
In any case, the information released by Ohjin spread out in an instant. Even the guilds that first doubted the information started to tear away the Black Star Organization without delay once they discovered their branches.
‘The Owl hunting started in earnest.’
It wasn’t hard to predict how a terrorist organization that had all of its hideouts exposed would meet its end.
In addition, the core members of the Noctua faction were absent along with Cheon Doyoon.
The Noctua faction wasn’t able to defend against the Awakeners that rushed in like a tsunami and started to collapse in the blink of an eye.
‘The Heaven’s Grace guild played the biggest role.’
One of the Seven Stars, the Star of Celestial Pivot, Cheon Sanggil, had mobilized personally.
It was impossible for second-rate Owls to hold on against a member of the Seven Stars when it wouldn’t have been easy if even Cheon Doyoon was there.
—Irresistible force.
The Owls that were exposed under the sunlight were helplessly caught by the hunters.
[Report from Chollian News! The union of large guilds such as Heaven’s Grace, Hwarang, and Starlight Lake has completely subdued the Black Star Organization’s headquarters!]
The announcer shouted out with a resonating voice.
[There are nearly 3,000 Black Star Organization members who have been caught, and this number is similar to all members of the top ten guilds combined.]
[Just where did that many Awakeners come from? A single celestial making thousands of Awakeners is an unusual occurrence.]
[Regarding the celestial of Noctua, they say a specialist team will be formed to conduct an investigation.]
The male and female announcers continued the news with their utmost serious expressions.
When the news that garnered worldwide attention was being reported…
Plop—
Ohjin laid down on Ha-eun’s lap and munched on popcorn.
“Wow… the Black Star Organization got cleaned up in one go.”
“Yeah.”
Ha-eun playfully pulled on Ohjin’s cheeks while watching the news.
“Why didn’t you take part?”
“It didn’t look like there was any need for me to go.”
“True. I think I heard that even the Star of Celestial Pivot took action this time around?”
“Yup.”
Ohjin was actually planning to participate in the operation and hunt Owls in the beginning, but his plans were shifted after the union of the ten guilds, excluding Valhalla and Heaven’s grace, rejected assistance from the Association.
‘Well, they’re probably feeling quite anxious.’
Since the recent terrorist attacks and the Cheon Woosung incident were all solved by the Association and Valhalla guild, the public media had started to question what the other large guilds were so busy taking care of.
It would’ve been extremely uncomfortable for them, as they had always thought that the Association was beneath them.
‘They probably wanted to change public opinion by apprehending the Black Star Organization.’
They would make it seem like they acted out of justice while talking about punishing the Black Star Organization’s atrocities on the surface, but there was a hidden goal twisted in their actions.
‘There’s no justification that’s easier to use than justice.’
In any case, it was news that Ohjin would welcome with open arms.
‘I’m sitting here doing nothing and they’re taking care of things for me.’
If the Black Lion, Lee Woohyuk, was his loyal hound, it felt like an army of ants were under his control that time.
He smiled from the feeling of becoming a queen ant that didn’t move an inch and received meals for free.
“Anyways, with this, I guess the Black Star Organization is over.”
“It’s not over yet.”
“Because of Cheon Doyoon?”
“Yeah.”
Even if the Noctua faction was basically destroyed, it wasn’t completely over as long as the King of Owls remained standing.
‘We need to figure out what that bastard’s planning.’
The Noctua faction could be said to be over once Cheon Doyoon was dead.
“Well… won’t the Star of Celestial Pivot take care of that on his own?”
“I wonder…”
Even if that was true, Ohjin wouldn’t pass over the delicious prey called Cheon Doyoon.
‘Though it’s still too early for me to target him.’
One day… no, soon, he would obtain the power that would enable him to hunt Doyoon down.
‘Which is the reason why I caused this incident.’
Ohjin smirked as he looked at the news broadcasting on the TV.
“But when are you going to get up?”
“Waah.”
“Waah, my ass.”
Ha-eun held in her laughter and pulled Ohjin’s cheeks.
“I always wonder if you’re the same Ohjin that I knew back then.”
“What time are you talking about?”
“That’s…”
Ha-eun’s cheeks reddened as she lightly hit his forehead.
“I don’t know.”
“What? Tell me. You’re making me more curious.”
“I ain’t going to tell you, even if you’re curious.”
Ha-eun stuck out her tongue and got back on her feet.
“Then I’m going to go buy groceries now, so let’s have dinner together in a bit.”
“What, are you going to make it?”
“Fufu. Look forward to challenging a new dish today, alright?”
“…”
‘Didn’t I make sure to kiss her after returning back then? Why hasn’t the curse been dispelled? Is it because I did it on her cheeks?’
Ohjin recalled how Ha-eun had pouted as if she thought something was a shame.
“You need to eat while considering your nutrition intake. Having the same thing every day is boring, isn’t it?”
‘Then please consider the taste when cooking…’
“I’ll be right back~!”
Bang—
Ha-eun went outside.
* * *
* * *
“Well, then.”
Ohjin sat on the sofa and watched the news. The two announcers were still continuing their conversation.
[There’s a report that the members of the Black Star Organization are criminals from the Cheorwon Prison disappearance incident that took place three years ago.]
[That’s right. Identification results say that around 70% of the captured members are criminals that went missing back then.]
[How terrible. How and where are the captured Black Star Organization members being managed?]
[According to the guild union’s official statement, members that were confirmed to be prisoners of Cheorwon Prison in the past are getting sent to other prisons, and they are in the middle of figuring out why the other members joined the Black Star Organization.]
[That is understandable. They could’ve been forced to join the organization against their will.]
[But even if that’s the case, it seems that it’ll be difficult to avoid punishment.]
It was as the announcer said, though it could be used as a certain degree of extenuating circumstance.
[Then is the guild union managing the Black Star Organization members who are in the process of getting identified?]
[Yes. They say that the Association offered assistance, but was turned down.]
[The battle of nerves between the Association and large guilds really is intense.]
The two announcers continued their discussion with serious expressions.
“They really are doing whatever they can to monopolize merits.”
Ohjin shrugged while looking at the news.
‘But I’m afraid I can’t let that be.’
He leaned his back on the sofa and crossed his legs.
“Because the one monopolizing isn’t you guys… but me.”
A sly smile was placed on his face.
* * *
—Awakener dedicated prison located in Paju.
The Owls that finished getting identified were imprisoned in that place.
—The criminals that hid their whereabouts after the Cheorwon Prison disappearance incident three years prior.
Those who were granted the stigma of Noctua, had become members of the Black Star Organization, and had crushed the lives of countless others were imprisoned in a special straightjacket made for Awakeners.
“Damn it! Get this off of me immediately, you bastards!”
“Didn’t I tell you?! We were simply forced into following the Black Star Organization!”
“We’re innocent!!”
The imprisoned Black Star Organization members shouted at the prison officer.
“…Sigh.”
The prison officer who was looking at them frowned and exhaled deeply.
“You’re innocent?”
The prison officer approached the man who shouted out that he was innocent. He flipped through the thick documents in his hands and stopped at the part where the man’s criminal history was recorded.
“Three acts of robbery, two of rape and murder. Other than that, there are numerous records of theft, violence, etc.”
“…That’s.”
“What the hell makes you think you’re innocent?”
In addition, that record was from before he joined the Black Star Organization. It was hard to imagine how many more horrible crimes he would’ve committed while being under the Black Star Organization for the past three years.
“The rest of you bastards are all the same. Got it?”
The prison officer glared at the restricted Black Star Organization members with fierce eyes.
It was simply a matter of degree, most of the criminals imprisoned in Cheorwon Prison had similar criminal records.
Of course he would be left speechless when those kinds of people were saying that they were forced into following the Black Star Organization and that they were innocent.
“I’ll block all of your mouths if you keep talking nonsense, so keep them shut. Alright?”
“…”
The prison officer glanced around the prison that became silent and looked up at the clock hung on a wall.
‘It’s about time to change shifts.’
Deep fatigue was contained in his eyes as he looked at the clock. It wasn’t easy to watch over nearly 2,000 criminals.
Even more so since the guild union had handed down orders to keep an eye on them as thoroughly as he could.
When he was looking at the flowing clock in a daze…
Beeeeeeeeeep!!!!—
The noisy sound of sirens rang out across the entire prison.
“Wh-What?”
“What’s going on?”
The prison officers who were desperately waiting for their shift to end looked around with urgent expressions.
Bang!—
“You dumbasses! What are you doing when the siren is ringing!!”
“Ch-Chief?”
At that moment, the door opened violently as a man rushed to them.
Prison Chief Jeong Jaechul.
He was the one who had accepted the guild union’s request to receive the captured Black Star Organization members and was the chief operating officer.
“There are a large number of escapees at building B!! Hurry! Hurry up and go get them!!”
Jeong Jaechul furrowed his eyebrows that were as thick as caterpillars and shouted out.
“Yes, sir!”
“W-We’ll mobilize immediately!”
The officers that were shocked by the chief’s bawling all ran outside.
“…”
The Chief Officer, Jeong Jaechul, looked at the backs of the officers who ran out in a hurry and slowly went into the prison.
The interior of the prison was reminiscent of a chicken farm.
Inside the densely packed cells were members of the Black Star Organization restrained in special straight jackets.
“Let’s see…”
Jeong Jaechul held up the thick documents that the prison officer had been carrying and glanced through them.
“A total of 2192 people.”
The Chief Officer smiled slyly as he looked through the criminal records of the captured Black Star Organization members.
“Should I start getting things prepared?”
Ddddrrrrr—
Jeong Jaechul dragged a massive gas tank across the floor and brought it inside.
“H-Huh?”
“What are you trying to do?”
The prisoners restricted in straight jackets looked at the strange actions of Jeong Jaechul and frowned.
“What does it look like?”
Plop—
Jeong Jaechul sat on top of the massive gas tank and licked his lips.
“Isn’t it time to cook now that the hunting has finished?”
“—What?”
The prisoners looked at the chief with confused looks.
Jeong Jaechul lightly shrugged his shoulders and turned the valve on the gas tank.
Pshhhhhhhh!!—
Purple smoke started to leak out of the gas tank and fill up the prison.
“C-Cough! Wh-What is this?!”
“P-Poisonous gas?”
“Y-Y-You crazy son of a bitch!!!”
The prisoners restricted in straight jackets looked at the chief with terrified expressions.
“Are you planning to kill everyone here?!”
“S-Stop, you crazy bastard!! Ahh! Please, stop it!!!”
Pandemonium broke out in the prison.
Jeong Jaechul looked at the wailing Black Star Organization members and got on his feet.
“You’ve heard the words ‘stop it’ a lot of times, haven’t you?”
“…Wh-What?”
“You’ve heard the words to stop it, to spare them, so much to the point that it’s tiring, haven’t you?”
“…”
“Did you ever stop after hearing those words?”
“…That’s.”
The faces of the Black Star Organization members turned pale.
“Well, I guess you wouldn’t be here if you had stopped.”
Jeong Jaechul spread out his palm and put it by his face.
Crack, crunch!—
His face distorted with the sound of twisting bones; it started to turn into the form of crushed clay.
And in there—
“Indeed, there are a lot of things we have in common.”
—appeared the face of Ohjin, who was smiling brightly.
“I have also never stopped before.”