Although a Villain, My Wish is World Peace

It would be nice if there was a magical solution, but unfortunately there is no such solution.

Do Chae-hee looked at Jeong Ho-san quietly and slowly opened her mouth.

“If Kang Yi-sin decided to be with Weltschmerz, I understand him trying to distance himself from Jeong Ho-san. Even though you’re friends, well, the situation is like that. If Jeong Ho-san enters the Awakener Crimes Department and he’s active as Weltschmerz, he’ll have to be wary…”

“I wish Yi-sin had quit Weltschmerz…”

“I know one thing. You’re both incredibly stubborn.”

At Do Chae-hee’s words, Jeong Ho-san smiled bitterly.

“I guess so. We ended up like this because neither of us would yield.”

Jeong Ho-san who said that looked at Do Chae-hee and said:

“Yi-sin said that if I follow Inspector Do Chae-hee, I’ll become his enemy, so we’ll never meet again. Actually, until today I didn’t believe those words.”

How could he cut ties with me like this?

But seeing the phone whose signal stopped today, it seems he was really serious.

“Yi-sin, that guy was desperately asking me in his own way too. I ignored that guy’s request.”

Jeong Ho-san who muttered like that raised his voice as if getting angrier the more he chewed on it.

“No, if that’s the case he should at least answer in a way people can understand. He doesn’t even tell me why he joined Weltschmerz! Now he says he’s cutting ties with people like this? Bad bastard.”

Hearing those mutterings close to lamentations, Do Chae-hee quietly fidgeted her fingers. There’s been something bothering her tremendously since earlier…

“P-perhaps did your relationship end up like this because of me? I mean, as Kang Yi-sin said too, since I’m openly chasing Weltschmerz… It seems like your relationship became like this because of me.”

“No, it’s not Inspector Do Chae-hee’s problem. Just, because I didn’t yield my stubbornness… No, is it normal for him to join such a villain group in the first place and not tell me anything, but tell me to go back to the guild and live well?”

The depressed bear became an angry bear. Do Chae-hee closed her mouth, pressured by the aura. Because she realized whatever she said here would only stimulate Jeong Ho-san.

Jeong Ho-san who had been fuming for a while rubbed his face.

“Even if Inspector Do Chae-hee had refused, I would have thrown away the guild and everything else and chased after that guy. No matter what Yi-sin said, I wouldn’t have been able to give up on him.”

At Jeong Ho-san’s words, Do Chae-hee swallowed hard. She was certain this person would do that.

“What do you plan to do from now on?”

Do Chae-hee quickly added:

“I haven’t told anyone yet that Jeong Ho-san is interested in the Awakener Crimes Department, so you can still take it back now. If you enter the Awakener Crimes Department, and work with me, you’ll end up opposing Weltschmerz as Kang Yi-sin said.”

“That’s why I need to enter the Awakener Crimes Department even more.”

“What?”

“Didn’t Inspector Do Chae-hee say so? That the Awakener Crimes Department is targeting Weltschmerz. That they’ll make Weltschmerz a scapegoat to cover up the crimes of the real bad guys.”

Seeing this false accusation, that thought became even stronger. Whoever the real ‘enemy’ is, they clearly have enough power to easily manipulate the situation. And that enemy is targeting Weltschmerz now.

“So you mean you want to directly enter the Awakener Crimes Department to protect Weltschmerz?”

“If someone tries to trap that guy, that place will be where I can know about it first.”

Though Kang Yi-sin said he plans to cut ties with Jeong Ho-san, Jeong Ho-san had no such intention at all.

“I can’t go back to the guild anyway. I don’t think I can focus on guild activities at all.”

“Hmm, certainly…”

Jeong Ho-san already knew too much to pull out. Even if he went back now, there’s no way he could live a normal life.

“And if Weltschmerz is trying to catch the real bad guys, maybe we’ll meet at the same place.”

Even if we can’t orbit on the same trajectory, won’t our destinations be the same? When we reach that destination, maybe I can face Kang Yi-sin again. And then maybe we can call each other friends again…

That’s all Jeong Ho-san hoped for.

“Can I ask one thing?”

“What is it?”

“That day, why did Inspector Do Chae-hee call me?”

“That day…”

“The day you said you wanted to reinvestigate Yi-sin’s case.”

For a moment, Do Chae-hee flinched, thinking it was resentment towards her asking why she called that day and complicated things like this. But there was not a hint of resentment to be found on Jeong Ho-san’s face.

Is that why? She could open up about her true feelings with a somewhat comfortable mind.

“Honestly, the reason I called Jeong Ho-san then might have been because I wanted to gain courage.”

After parting with Park Chul-wan like that, Do Chae-hee suddenly felt like she was alone in the world. As if she had lost all her family, she felt alone in this world.

I should take the right path, so this is the right choice. While thinking that, it seems she was actually scared deep inside her heart.

So she cowardly wanted to receive encouragement from someone.

Encouragement that you’re not wrong, that you’re on the right path.

The reason that target was Jeong Ho-san was probably because he was the most honest and warm person among those Do Chae-hee knew.

A person who seemed like he could do anything for his friend. If I tell that person I’ll do something for his friend, won’t I be able to receive pure encouragement?

“You wanted to receive encouragement?”

“Haha, that’s right. Really, at that time I desperately wanted just one word like that. I wished even just one person in this world would tell me I was doing well.”

It felt like I could gain strength to move forward with just one such word.

But what Jeong Ho-san conveyed that day wasn’t just encouragement.

“So when you said you wanted to work with me then, I was incredibly surprised. But soon I thought. Honestly, considering Jeong Ho-san’s life, I should refuse several times… But I know too. The feeling of encountering a case you want to solve even if it means throwing away your life.”

Though I didn’t know things would turn out like this until then…

“So even though I know all your circumstances, I can only say thank you for being here for now. Kang Yi-sin might want to kill me if he knew.”

“He shouldn’t resent Inspector Do Chae-hee without thinking about what he did.”

“Haha, but still.”

Do Chae-hee sighed internally that she was fated to be entangled with Kang Yi-sin in bad relations in many ways.

“Umm, actually I was a bit worried.”

“About what?”

“I was thinking about pretending not to know Inspector Do Chae-hee when I enter the Awakener Crimes Department.”

Do Chae-hee was already marked inside the Awakener Crimes Department. Working with her carried too much risk. The moment he learned Kang Yi-sin had entered Weltschmerz, Jeong Ho-san’s top priority changed.

To somehow stay attached to the Awakener Crimes Department for a long time and become the first person to receive information about Weltschmerz.

And to stand in that position, it was better not to reveal he was on the same side as Do Chae-hee who was ‘marked’ in the Awakener Crimes Department.

“But hearing this answer, I can’t do that.”

It’s a bit much to say I’ll pretend not to know someone who called me wanting to gain even a little courage when she felt alone.

But at those words, Do Chae-hee shook her head.

“No, I’ve already gained courage. Besides, the enemies will move strategically, so there’s no reason for us to just clash recklessly.”

Do Chae-hee who muttered something to herself shouted towards Jeong Ho-san.

“Yes, let’s do that!”

“What?”

“Let’s pretend not to know each other inside the Awakener Crimes Department! Since it’s come to this, it would be better for you to pretend not to know me and enter their side.”

“You want me to become a spy?”

“Not that grandly. Just keep a proper distance from me.”

Do Chae-hee said to Jeong Ho-san who was making a very dazed expression:

“I’ll draw the aggro, so I want you to move freely then. There’s no need for both of us to be targets.”

Jeong Ho-san said it wasn’t Do Chae-hee’s fault, but guilt piled up in Do Chae-hee’s heart after hearing Jeong Ho-san’s words. Anyway, if she hadn’t called that day, maybe Jeong Ho-san wouldn’t have come so close to this unwanted truth.

“Will you be okay?”

Jeong Ho-san asked Do Chae-hee with a worried face. At that question, Do Chae-hee scratched her cheek and said:

“Honestly, I don’t know yet. My chest feels tight just thinking about returning to the Awakener Crimes Department. I think I was really proud of myself just for entering there, but before I knew it, it became a place I’m scared of.”

The thought of being alone again scared her first. But Do Chae-hee wasn’t a person who succumbed to fear.

“I’m not a person without fear, but I’m not someone who runs away because I’m scared. So I’m going to try.”

Do Chae-hee added playfully:

“If I really can’t handle it while trying, I’ll send an SOS then, will you help me then?”

* * *

Inside the office with an oppressively dark atmosphere, Kim Du-sik carefully opened his mouth.

“Hyung, no, Team Leader. It’s time we should admit it.”

“Admit what?”

Choi In-hyuk scrunched his face at Kim Du-sik’s words. His mood worsened seeing Kim Du-sik’s face like a bloated toad soaked in water when he was already in a bad mood. However, Kim Du-sik showed no signs of being intimidated by Choi In-hyuk’s sharp gaze.

Usually he would watch Choi In-hyuk’s mood and slowly back away, but today he stood in front of him with fists clenched as if he were a loyal subject giving frank advice to a tyrant.

“Team Leader, you’ve been scammed! By that guy Kang Yi-sin! You’ve just been scammed!”

At the words that came out of Kim Du-sik’s mouth, Choi In-hyuk threw his nameplate on the desk right at him.

Kim Du-sik who avoided the nameplate with a quick dodge unsuited to his large build shouted:

“Even if Team Leader gets angry like this, the truth won’t change!”

“What nonsense are you spouting! Who’s been scammed!”

At Choi In-hyuk’s words, Kim Du-sik thought.

‘You have, Team Leader! You’ve been scammed!’

Kim Du-sik also swallowed those words internally because his life is precious. But he couldn’t just watch Choi In-hyuk clinging to a fruitless task for ten months already.

“It’s not much principal anyway, right?”

“What do you mean not much. Didn’t you ask me if I got shot in the head when I lent him money that day?”

“What? Me?”

“Yes!”

“Th-there’s no way I said such words.”

Kim Du-sik stammered. He certainly did say something like why did you lend such a large sum to a guy not worth looking at.

“Even if it’s money that stresses you out this much, wouldn’t it be better to think you’ve just been scammed?”

Though it was usury, it wasn’t monthly interest but 40% annual interest, so the accumulated amount wasn’t much. Of course it was a large sum, but he meant it wasn’t an amount worth Choi In-hyuk clinging to this much.

“Besides, honestly with no contact like this, I think he might be dead by this point. Right! Travel expenses! How about thinking of it as providing travel expenses?”

“You X, who provides 130 million won as travel expenses! No, it’s 180 million now? Who in the world gives such a large sum as condolence money!”

Kim Du-sik closed his mouth at Choi In-hyuk’s vicious expression. Thinking about it that way, it was too large.

“Or your hyung’s help…”

“What hyung do I have!”

This time a cup on the desk flew. Kim Du-sik who avoided the cup with another amazing dodge movement sweated profusely. Choi In-hyuk was breathing heavily, unable to contain his anger.

“What would he think seeing me unable to solve even this level of problem on my own?”

He absolutely didn’t want to reach out to that person, if no one else.

But it’s also true that he’s been driven into a corner.

“Isn’t there anyone who can find out where that bastard is? We need to at least find out where he died if he’s dead, something like that.”

If he had at least heard news that he died, Choi In-hyuk wouldn’t have gotten this heated. But that bastard Kang Yi-sin really disappeared overnight ‘just like that’. Without even traces of death, strictly speaking he’s still legally missing.

At that moment, Kim Du-sik carefully opened his mouth.

“Well, I didn’t mention it because it seemed like an unfounded rumor, but…”

“If it seems unfounded, don’t say it!”

“Yes.”

Choi In-hyuk got angry at Kim Du-sik who closed his mouth too obediently. Damn it, better dead than sick.

“No, tell me.”

“Have you heard of ‘Hope Errand Center’?”

“Hope Errand Center?”

“Yes, a site appeared in Cambodia that says they’ll do and find out anything if you pay money, and they say this place really finds out everything.”

“Where did you hear such an unfounded rumor…”

Choi In-hyuk who was about to dismiss those words nonchalantly scrunched his face. Damn it, was he in a position to be picky about cold water or hot water now?

“…Contact them once.”

“Yes!”

Hope Errand Center. Would those guys really become his hope? Or would they become another source of stress? Choi In-hyuk decided to at least try once for now.