#278
Hahoe Mask Returns (3)
The rampage of Hahoe Mask, who attacked the East Asian branch of the Buncheon Society based in Shanghai, did not stop there.
As if it were a lie that there had been no news for a while, he started to systematically wipe out all the subordinates in the area with overwhelming momentum.
Naturally, the events taking place in Shanghai, one of China’s busiest cities, spread quickly across the internet.
Not only within China, but also overseas, crossing borders.
And the place that reacted most vehemently to the news was none other than…
It was none other than the Republic of Korea, which is neighboring China and the homeland of Hahoe Mask.
From yellow journalism that directly pulled articles from China to sensational cyber outlets sniffing for clicks, to relatively credible news agencies.
Everyone showed interest in the news.
And as expected, Korean internet communities were ablaze, more intensely than ever.
– What kind of class is this where he causes trouble right after returning? 😂 First the Yakuza, now he’s storming the Triads? ㅎㄷㄷ
– ???: I was just tired of wandering around Japan, so I took a break to do a little sightseeing in China. Now that I’m back to work, citizens, don’t worry and get back to your daily lives!
– Hyung, you’re back! I always believed in you!
└ Aren’t you the one who was whining about where Hahoe Mask went last time?
The fan site ‘Dawn of the Shaman’ for Hahoe Mask, which seemed to be gradually dying down, started to spike in traffic steadily since the morning the news broke.
*ers, Hahoe Mask is alive!”>
– All the guys who said he was dead can just bury their heads. I’ll go first ㅇㅇ
– Fast confession ㅇㅈ
– I’ll join you…
– Wow, no f*ing way, he’s really alive? Is it a double?
└ With this scale of operations and continuous evidence popping up, could it really be fake?
└ Honestly, if such a perfect alternative was possible, we have to accept it as real.
└ For real, lol
Even those who had viewed Hahoe Mask’s disappearance skeptically quickly changed their tune.
Regardless of the discussion, everyone recognized his power and name value.
Whether that recognition was positive or negative.
However, there were those who couldn’t easily accept the news.
They were none other than the high-ranking officials in Korea who were receiving protests from both Japan and now China.
While they had no direct relationship with Hahoe Mask, they couldn’t help but feel unfairness about it, but these issues in international relations couldn’t simply be ignored.
Isn’t it the job of diplomacy to take some kind of action to cultivate smooth relations between countries?
And within that, part of that responsibility lay with one segment.
“Let’s start the emergency meeting. You all know what the agenda is, right?”
At the headquarters of the Korean Returnee Association located on Namsan in Seoul, a meeting of executives was just kicking off.
“No, hasn’t this topic already ended? It got all muddled down during the Japan issue, didn’t it? So why are we revisiting it now?”
“I know, right? We’re already busy, why bring us here again?”
– Well, it’s an unavoidable issue. I don’t know what we can do, but it’s our responsibility.
“… Can’t I just join by video? Why is it mandatory to be in Seoul? … That’s so unfair…”
Under the leadership of the chairman, the assembled executives exchanged their opinions one by one.
The branch heads from Seoul and those participating via video from provincial cities gathered.
Unlike government agencies, the relaxed atmosphere quickly turned noisy.
The abilities and statuses of Awakened Ones are proportional.
The executives present were all people who had some clout in their respective worlds.
Heroes, nobility, organization heads, and renowned names…
Already full of confidence in themselves, they respected others but didn’t excessively read the room.
It truly was a selection based on ability, meticulously chosen through practical experience.
“China’s protests are more severe than expected. According to the government, there’s pressure coming from all directions.”
Of course, the respect for the strong was also assured.
Having such abilities meant they had survived through dangerous adversities.
When the chairman spoke, the once-noisy executives focused on his words.
“Wait? Why are they reacting so strongly? Aren’t they just catching some criminals? They barely took down a few organizations near Shanghai, right?”
– Did their pride get hurt? Are they upset that someone came across the border and caused chaos?
“Well, the exact reasons are known only to them. It’s possible that among those Hahoe Mask took down, there was someone linked to their high ranks.”
While conversations passed in the meeting room.
Yoon Ji-yoon, the southern branch leader of Seoul who was dragged in against her will, looked at the information projected on her pad with a sulky face.
‘It does seem like it’s really him.’
The materials were all about Hahoe Mask’s activities in China.
From photos to videos centered around CCTV, as well as eyewitness testimonies and analyses based on them.
It hadn’t even been a day, and that was incredibly competent information collection.
‘Well, most of the evidence they’ve provided is probably from China.’
As anticipated, the meeting flowed sluggishly.
It was a problem that didn’t have an answer from the start, so it wasn’t surprising.
After all, Hahoe Mask was currently in China. What could they do now?
‘Didn’t he just want to throw a tantrum? To gain diplomatic leverage to get something out of it? If it’s those guys, they could absolutely do that… hmm?’
As she flicked through the information, her gaze fixed on one case.
It was about an incident reported in a certain building.
‘On the surface, it’s an investment company. But during the investigation, something suspicious was discovered… There’s a funny smell to this.’
Except for that one case, the rest were mostly similar.
A random punishment of the Triads and their related organizations that dominated the underworld in the area.
Hahoe Mask was still doing what he had done thus far.
‘Hahoe Mask, Hahoe Mask… Now that I think about it…’
But as she pondered over this, something popped into her mind.
‘The Buncheon Society was the first organization that became evident after Hahoe Mask started his rampage.’
It was the organization that had a former leader, Tarak, a level 9 vampire who had recently committed a terror attack under her jurisdiction.
She heard that they had to hide in Korea after clashing with Hahoe Mask.
‘Until now, I’ve just been taking things as they are…’
But upon reflection, Hahoe Mask’s movements towards Japan and now China did indeed appear quite unusual.
Why did he feel the need to hunt criminals in other countries?
And what was the correlation between his disappearance while cleaning up Japan and the recent Shanghai incident?
Did he inadvertently discover clues regarding them while overturning Japan?
‘… I need to speak with Hains.’
In truth, she had been mildly suspicious about this for some time without deep-diving.
Specifically, regarding the relationship between Hahoe Mask and Heterosis.
‘This Phantom has seemingly been trying to fill in Hahoe Mask’s absence. … Hmm, could they be from the same world?’
Having made a sharp deduction, she loosely organized her thoughts and refocused on the meeting.
That was something to unravel slowly in the future.
But just then.
Still bored with the sluggish proceedings, she subtly pulled out her smartphone from under the desk and launched a game.
silently
Game time!
Jealous…
Yet everyone present was an Awakened One.
Naturally, not a single person noticed her actions among the attendees.
However, only the chairman overseeing the meeting furrowed his brow for a brief moment before glancing her way—.
Oh, should I invest more?
Though she was only a branch leader, her capabilities rivaled the chairman, so no one dared to say anything to her.
*
Crash—!
In a place filled with various high-tech equipment and odds and ends, a loud noise rang out.
It could have appeared to be just an ordinary day, but today, the emotional state of the individual at the center was quite different.
Gahhhh—! I’m so annoyed! I’m furious!
Clang— bang— crash!
Without laying a finger, the flasks lined up began exploding one by one like bombs.
It was as if they were reacting to his emotions.
Hoo, no, no! This won’t do. I’ll end up wasting all these precious reagents!
However, just as he managed to calm down, the shattered flasks and their contents swiftly returned to their places as if time had rewound.
The brown-haired middle-aged man nodded slowly with relief after checking them once again.
And then—
“Not needed!”
Crash—! Bang—!
He forcefully pushed them to the floor.
The doctor, the right-hand man of the head of the Buncheon Society and the source of its technological prowess, ruffled his disheveled hair out of irritation.
News of the day wasn’t the only thing that had him on edge; things just wouldn’t go his way lately.
It had been a while since traps were prepared, but the vampire Hains, a key to the “Complete Evolutionary Biological Project,” wasn’t showing any intention of coming to Europe, while their once-usable Yul Ryeong-ja had suddenly been taken down by Hahoe Mask.
Losing control over all of East Asia was a significant blow.
It was painfully obvious that their controlling power over the region would be waning for some time.
Ah! What a waste!
However, the doctor’s pique wasn’t solely about that.
I offered him a chance! Oh, how regrettable. I intended to sneakily take some practical data!
He bemoaned the loss of the magic engineering items he had lent to Yul Ryeong-ja rather than the man himself.
Even though the one he had lost this time was a high-ranking figure holding a single-digit rank within the Buncheon Society.
I can remake the prosthetic limbs, but I absolutely want to recover Caligas’s eye!
Naturally, he had already sent his subordinates to thoroughly inspect the area where the East Asian branch was located.
However, just like all the previous victims of Hahoe Mask, they couldn’t find a single magical equipment, let alone the body of Yul Ryeong-ja.
I shouldn’t have yielded at all! I should’ve just attached it to my eye… no, right on my forehead! Then by now, I’d have three eyes… huh?
The doctor, mumbling in a daze, suddenly stopped and blinked.
Three eyes? The third eye?
Then he tilted his head several times.
Oh-ho-ho~! This is very interesting!
As if he hadn’t just been angry, the corners of his mouth lifted in a grin, and curiosity danced in his eyes.
First, I need to choose a test subject! Let’s see, for creating a hole in the skull and connecting it to the pineal gland… it’s best to use a sturdy Awakened One!
Then, rubbing his hands together gleefully, he stepped out of the room with a light gait.
Someone will take care of the East Asian mess! Maybe that woman or someone else.
Unfortunately, thoughts about Yul Ryeong-ja’s predicament had already left his mind.
*
Right after catching Yul Ryeong-ja, the highest-ranking enemy he had hunted thus far.
Naturally, Hains delved into his mind immediately.
This time, I hope to gain truly valuable information.
But the results weren’t very satisfying.
Surely because he was a being who had reached a mental realm, the endeavor was far from simple.
Even considering “the peak of extremes,” the difficulty level surpassed that of transcendent beings.
I never imagined that madman would format his own brain.
In an instant, the operation came to a close before Hains could intervene.
Moreover, in the process, Yul Ryeong-ja had destroyed his own mind.
Even if he tried to use his soul, there was no way to glean information.
He truly was an extraordinarily vile creature.
Fortunately, thanks to the crystal I had from before…
Borrowing the power of the crystal obtained after the previous mental assault, he managed to restore some of the memories as if conducting forensic investigation instead of obtaining nothing at all!
Now, unexpectedly benefiting from the items extracted from that being was a reminder of how unpredictable life could be.
And just after lightly gathering basic information about the targets.
What came first was…
“Elder, I’ll be stepping out for a bit!”
“Huh? All of a sudden?”
In Tarak’s Dwarf Workshop.
Howard’s sudden declaration made Zhaonik blink.
But despite Zhaonik’s reaction, Howard simply nodded heavily.
“Yes, just a little… I want to experience new inventions and gain insights.”
The dwarf youth’s eyes sparkled with hunger for knowledge as he prepared for his journey to Earth.
