abcnovels
Chapter 161
Chapter 161
Chapter 161
With Maurice Pavard subdued and the crucial evidence—the Synesthetic Mindscape Projection Device—secured, the investigation unit could begin a search of the mansion.
They had long suspected Maurice's involvement in numerous crimes, so this was their chance to find the appropriate evidence to punish all involved parties.
“Let's proceed cautiously; we don't know what traps he might have set.”
“Understood.”
In a world blossoming with magic, there were countless ways to conceal evidence; similarly, there were many ways to destroy it if attempts to uncover it were made. Hence, the investigation unit normally proceeded carefully, using detection devices to meticulously search each area.
However, the young man who came along with Seon-Woo had a different approach.
“Let's try breaking through that wall.”
“...”
“...”
After just a brief survey of the room, the young man pointed to a blank wall and gave that suggestion. Finding his decision doubtful, the agents exchanged glances before turning to Seon-Woo, who accompanied the young man.
“Go ahead,” Seon-Woo ordered.
“Understood.”
Though puzzled, the agents took out a sledgehammer and smashed the wall that the young man, who was Se-Hoon in disguise, indicated.
With a loud crash, the wall collapsed and revealed a hidden safe.
“Wow...”
“There’s really something here...”
Walking past the amazed agents, Se-Hoon examined the safe's exterior.
“It seems to only contain valuables, but we should check it anyway.”
“Yes, sir.”
Done briefing the agents, Se-Hoon moved to another room and thoroughly inspected it as well. The room's structure, the arrangement of decorations, and the layout of the mana pipes all contributed to creating such a hidden space inside the mansion room.
Is it there?
Rapidly grasping the layout, he approached an unassuming bookshelf.
“Let’s see... like this, and...”
Accompanied by a series of clicks, he pulled several books slightly apart. And a few repetitions later, a flicker of light flashed from the bookshelf before beginning to move.
Rumble-
Seeing the various documents and valuable items within the revealed hidden chamber, Se-Hoon quickly pointed them out to Seon-Woo.
“We should take these too.”
“Understood.”
Like that, Se-Hoon continued to uncover hidden evidence throughout the mansion, followed by the overwhelmed agents who switched to focusing on collecting the evidence he found.
With nothing left to do, a few investigators stood afar and observed.
“I would never want to invite him over to my house,” remarked a black-suited middle-aged man, Investigator Dwight, as he observed the dramatically more efficient investigation.
And his female colleague, who was standing next to him, agreed.
Listening to their conversation, another investigator, squatting and sipping a can of coffee while staring at Se-Hoon's back, then asked, "So, who exactly is that guy?”
“Not sure. Seon-Woo just won’t tell me his name...”
“He didn’t tell you either, Nisha?”
The female investigator, Nisha, shook her head with a disappointed look.
“I kept asking him, but he wouldn't tell me. He just said he knew him through family.”
“Hmm...”
At the mention of “family,” Investigator Ricky, who was also by their side, sipped on his coffee, wondering, Did the Ha family have such a talented individual?
It wouldn't have been surprising if it had been someone skilled in archery. However, one had to wonder upon seeing the talents the squinty-eyed young man displayed—they were on another level.
He had remarkable skills in identifying targets using the illegal Synesthetic Mindscape Projection Device and in disarming complex magical security systems.
Moreover, he seemed knowledgeable in various fields—such as magic, sorcery, and enchantments—from how effortlessly he had uncovered hidden items the criminals had gone to great lengths to conceal.
Without him, we wouldn’t have been able to catch this many... or any, for that matter.
Including Maurice, they had arrested twenty-four A-class criminals in the past three days alone. And when counting their accomplices involved in other crimes, the number exceeded a hundred—a monumental success, rare even over several years.
He looks like he’s capable in combat too... what’s his true identity?
At that moment, just as Ricky wondered if there was a plausible background for the young man, a large, burly black man, Investigator Ben, returned from another search.
“I think he might be a new disciple of the Visionary,” he mentioned, having heard their conversation.
The three investigators exchanged looks, deep in thought. The more they considered it, the more plausible it seemed, given his talents.
“Now that you mention it, Seon-Woo seemed to be very respectful to him.”
“If he’s the Visionary’s disciple, that explains his keen insight.”
“Sounds about right.”
No other background seemed fitting for Se-Hoon’s display of talent.
Convinced, the investigators began viewing Se-Hoon in a new light. That young man, who was likely he was in his mid-to-late twenties, was practically guaranteed S-rank status in the future due to being the Visionary’s disciple.
“Think he’ll join the Special Operations Division someday?”
“He doesn't seem the type.”
“You never know; he might consider it.”
“I doubt it.”
The four investigators chatted away, and soon, the search concluded.
“It’s all finished here. Let’s head back,” Seon-Woo briefed upon approaching them.
“Alright, let’s start with the gate...”
With practiced motions, the investigators skillfully set up a portable gate device they took out of their void pockets and activated it by inserting magic stones.
Whoosh!
Passing through the gate, they instantly arrived at the European branch's exclusive terminal for investigators. Now back home, the investigators sighed in relief, deactivating their black suits and reverting to their regular attire.
“Gordon and Dwight said they'd book a bar. What about you?”
“I'll think about it after handling some urgent matters first.”
“Geez, why don’t you just do it tomorrow...”
Exhausted by Seon-Woo's persistent sense of duty, the mentioned Dwight made a tired face and moved his gaze behind him. There, the young man with squinty eyes was carefully surveying his surroundings.
Sensing a chance, Dwight asked, “What about him? Today’s was probably our last mission, so perhaps we could have a drink—”
“Sorry, but that's not possible.” Seon-Woo decisively cut off Dwight’s words.
“As I mentioned, he’s the one making time in his busy schedule for us. With the investigations done, he has to leave as soon as possible.”
“Alright.... We'll go to the bar first, then.”
Reluctant, Dwight and the other investigators left after waving and nodding to Seon-Woo.
Having seen it all from behind Seon-Woo, Se-Hoon smiled subtly.
“Aren’t you being a bit overly protective?”
“You’re the one who told me it’s best to avoid unnecessary contact.”
“True, I did say that.”
Se-Hoon casually touched his own cheek.
Honestly, I thought there’d be one person who would recognize me.
Again, the disguise spell Erika cast on him when he visited Black Arms worked exceptionally well. Seizing the opportunity to practice the spell, he had procured the necessary materials. And his attempt turned out to be surprisingly successful.
Perhaps it was the dream mana I mixed into the spell.... It might be quite useful later on if I just refine it a bit.
Wondering how he would go about it, Se-Hoon fiddled with his fake leather face. It was during this time that Seon-Woo, after ensuring no one else was around, asked, “Hey... Are you satisfied with this?”
“What do you mean?”
“We definitely damaged the enemy to some extent, but... it doesn’t seem like it will be significant.”
From the Heroes Association's perspective, arresting numerous traitors involved with the Demon Force was a significant success. However, Se-Hoon’s situation was different.
Since all the traitors had been gagged with oaths, they were prohibited from leaking any information about the seller, and no related evidence was found during their investigation either.
It’s nothing surprising, but... it's frustrating to find no clues at all.
What was worse was that this operation would naturally make the Barmuth family even more cautious. As such, Seon-Woo thought he needed to deal with it and began pondering.
But before he could get far, Se-Hoon nonchalantly answered, “Oh, it’s fine.”
“Huh?”
“I never expected to crush them with this move in the first place. Things are going exactly as I hoped.”
He hadn’t planned to deal a significant blow with the operation? What did he mean?
Seeing Seon-Woo’s confusion, Se-Hoon explained. “As you know, the traitors we caught this time were already expendable parts of their plan. Which means that it’s good if they don’t get caught, but it's not a big problem if they do.”
“Yes...”
“But just because it’s not a problem doesn't mean it's not a loss.”
If they were truly expendable, the Barmuths would likely have used them more aggressively. But since they didn’t, they had likely invested in these traitors for a long time, meaning they would have some regrets.
“I think, once this sweep becomes public... they might use the remaining expendable pieces more recklessly.”
“Do you mean they’ll aim to eliminate you?”
Se-Hoon nodded at Seon-Woo’s question.
“Possibly. Or it could be something else. Regardless, the key moment is when they’re going to use those expendables. But, it’s not like they’ll just throw them away, right?”
“Indeed, that makes sense.”
Although termed expendables, those arrested were all mid-level guild leaders or veteran heroes recognized in their respective countries. If there was an opportunity to utilize such combat power, the Barmuth family would likely plan meticulously.
“So I suspect some significant figures from their family that will oversee them will show up... and I intend to target them.”
If successful, they could gather valuable information about both the Barmuths and their deep connections with the Pleasure District in one fell swoop.
“...”
The full explanation surprised Seon-Woo slightly.
Just like I’ve observed, he shows no fear even when facing potentially dangerous situations.
It seemed like dealing with such scenarios was second nature to him. He was so calm that Seon-Woo couldn’t help but wonder whether it was another form of talent.
“Ah, we've arrived.”
The two had finally reached the gate back to Babel.
“Well, I'll be going then.”
“Take care.”
Shaking off his previous thoughts, Seon-Woo bowed. And at the sight of him, Se-Hoon suddenly remembered something.
“Oh, by the way, thanks for the help.”
“...”
At his words, Seon-Woo made an awkward expression before eventually sighing.
“Make sure to destroy it when you’re done...”
“Don’t worry about it. See you next time! Take a break today!”
With that cheerful farewell, Se-Hoon disappeared through the gate.
“What should I handle first...”
Of course, Seon-Woo didn’t head toward home but the office.
***
After parting ways with Seon-Woo and arriving at the European Void Space Terminal in Babel, Se-Hoon didn't head straight back. Instead, he made several stops, altering his face, attire, physique, and posture each time to mix up his tracks. And it was only when he reached his dorm room that he shed his final disguise as a staff member and relaxed.
“Phew... My body’s so stiff.”
Transforming the outer appearance of his entire body en route left his face and body feeling creaky, so he had to stretch to readjust. Then, when he finally felt comfortable, he went to the bathroom mirror to inspect his eyes.
“Hmm... maybe I overused it a bit.”
His eyes, faintly tinged with purple, still bore traces of Ethereal Vision even though he had deactivated it. The faint white part of his sclera was even showing signs of encroachment.
If I used it for another two hours, it might have gotten really dangerous.
Aside from mainly being because of a lack of trustworthy people, he had personally taken the lead in the operation because he wanted to experiment with Ethereal Vision actively. And the results of that extensive experiment over the last three days told him that it was slightly more stressful on the eyes than Eyes of Clairvoyance.
But only for other people; I'm different. I’m confident in managing the state of my eyes.
The side effect of Ethereal Vision was the loss of one’s eyes in the event that the user confused reality with a dream. It was so dangerous because such an event could happen unexpectedly.
However, it was different for Se-Hoon. Thanks to his perfect understanding of his body and the self-harming experience gained from training with Soul Honing, he didn’t have to worry about it.
Still, I should be careful not to use it for too long. I don’t want to risk losing my eyes.
Finished with his in-depth analysis of the Ethereal Vision, he brought his hands to his eyes. Then, visualizing a hammer in his mind, he struck his eyeballs forcefully with it.
“Ugh...”
He shut his eyes due to the pain coursing through them. A moment later, the pain finally subsided, and he opened his eyes to see them now free of the purple hue but bloodshot with burst capillaries.
Hmm. I should be able to use it for another four hours.
Satisfied, he went back to the living room and pulled out an orb from his void pocket. The orb, a mix of crimson and purple, gave off an ethereal glow.
[Synesthetic Mindscape Projection Device]
[Tier: Hero] [Quality: Excellent]
[A meditation tool made with special types of ore.
It enhances the user's synesthetic mindscape and projects it as a dream. However, each use permanently reduces the device’s durability.
*Projects enhanced synesthetic mindscape to the user
*The more advanced the synesthetic mindscape, the greater the durability consumption]
To think that stubborn guy would smuggle out such an important piece of evidence for me... the world sure is full of surprises.
Even if they had acquired dozens, the Seon-Woo he knew before he regressed would never have handed one over.
Reminded of his new reality, Se-Hoon smiled wryly and inspected the device again.
“Hmm.”
There was no issue with its appearance or information message, be he had already identified a trap hidden within it.
It should be around here...
Having examined multiple projection devices during the operation, he was able to find a gap in the device in his hands—a faint hole almost invisible to the eye. He then carefully inserted his index finger imbued with dream mana.
Sss...
Reacting to the dream mana, a thin, purple thread emerged from the hole. When it did, the device’s appearance rapidly changed to give off a deep, chaotic mixture of crimson and purple.
[Mirror of Demons]
[Tier: Hero] [Quality: Above Average]
[A meditation tool made with special types of ore.
It projects a vision of oneself, enhanced with demonic aura. However, each use permanently reduces its durability and induces a faint desire for demonic aura.
*Projects an enhanced version of oneself
*Durability and consumption increases based on the strength of the user in the vision
*Prolonged use induces a craving for demonic aura]
“They actually used demonic aura in the device and used dream mana to hide it...”
To the users, the Mirror of Demons was showing them their unrealized potential, but in actuality, it was projecting their demonic transformation. In truth, it was a clever use of dream mana to alter the transformation into the “dream” they wanted to see.
Such complex manipulation of dream mana... they must have gotten help from the Dream Demon.
While it was pretty clear it was a plan to corrupt heroes who had stagnated in their growth, there had to be more to it. Se-Hoon stroked his chin, considering the implications.
There are plenty of potential targets... but the important thing is what they plan to do with them after corrupting them.
The Dream Demon wouldn’t go through all this trouble just to corrupt a hero, especially one not even at S-rank. He needed a clue, so he flipped through his memories.
Vrrr-
He checked his phone.
Sung-Ha: If you’ve got nothing to do, spar with me. My master wants to see you.
“Sparring, huh...”
Se-Hoon sent a reply asking where he should go.
Sung-Ha: Physiology Controls Classroom.
“Hm?”
He had expected the private training room or another sparring area, yet the Physiology Controls Classroom?
Is Yeom Jin-Hyun close to Ma Kwang-Soo?
Considering both were active-duty heroes during the same time period and from the same country, it wasn’t impossible.
Regardless, he would soon find out.
***
Creak-
The first thing Se-Hoon saw after opening the door was the two Yeoms seated opposite Kwang-Soo. Heading over, he was about to greet them when he suddenly felt an unusual sensation.
Something was pulling him, trying to drag him somewhere. He then instinctively activated Ethereal Vision, heeding his body’s warning which was based on his pre-regression experience.
...So he’s also one of them.
Turning his eyes to Jin-Hyun, he discovered dream mana deeply rooted in his body.