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There were quite a few people gathered inside COEX. They were sitting on the floor here and there on the first floor, looking almost like refugees.
"Did all these people come here on their own?"
"Most were escorted here by the local district police or police stations. If it weren't for us, do you think they could have taken a single step outside?"
To Ji Wihan's question, the new police officer replied in a very annoyed tone.
Ji Wihan seemed to sense this and didn't ask any more questions.
I walked, constantly scanning the people on the first floor.
'Why do the people all look so gloomy? And their condition isn't good either.'
It was to view the characteristic lists, but as a result, I couldn't help but observe the people's appearances. Unlike their relatively clean attire, their expressions and atmosphere were all uniformly somber.
I knew it couldn't be helped given the current situation, but it still seemed strange that everyone was like that.
'Is there really something to what that guy said?'
Naturally, the words of the young man guarding the perimeter, that he wasn't a good policeman, kept coming to mind.
"Huh?"
While mechanically opening the characteristic lists while thinking about this and that, I happened to see a man's characteristics. And I couldn't help but exclaim.
『Bang Jin-gu』
Characteristics: 「Late Bloomer (lv.1)」/「Self-Centered (lv.4)」
I ignored the personality characteristic. Since I wasn't going to be with him, I didn't need to care whether he was human trash or a saint.
The thing to pay attention to was the other characteristic.
'「Late Bloomer (lv.1)」 is obviously an amazing characteristic.'
I couldn't know the grade or effect, but the name itself guaranteed success. For me, who could easily level up with points, the fact that it might not be good initially wasn't a problem.
"What's wrong?"
"Ah, sorry. I thought I saw an acquaintance."
"Hey, stop looking around so much and just follow quietly."
"Yes."
The police jerk seemed to have been annoyed by my constant looking around and took the opportunity to scold me.
I answered that I would, but I ignored him and kept looking around for another jackpot. The police jerk frowned and glared at me, not liking that, but I lightly ignored him.
Like that, we passed through COEX and entered the hotel next to it.
The hotel was quite different from COEX. All the men I saw while passing through the lobby were dressed in expensive clothes that you could tell were designer brands at a glance.
Moreover, there were quite a few couples with such a large age gap that it was suspicious of being involved in "compensated dating." The women's outfits varied, but they all had one thing in common: their expressions weren't very bright, either awkwardly smiling or openly depressed.
'So that's what he meant by not being a good policeman.'
I could tell at a glance. Those who were inappropriately decked out in designer brands and escorting women were the police.
I tried my best to manage my expression and passed through the hotel lobby to get on the elevator. The police jerk pressed the top floor, the 27th floor, and got off alone.
I didn't need the police jerk's guidance anymore. There was only one door on the 27th floor.
The chief in charge was staying in a luxurious penthouse with a garden, as if taking advantage of this opportunity to indulge in luxury.
"Wow, if it isn't Ji's aide? You look terrible, must have been through a lot."
I passed through a hallway bigger than my officetel and entered the living room with a grand piano, where I found the chief sprawled out on the sofa as if it were his own home. He looked to be around his late 40s, but he looked older because half of his hair was gone, and like the other police jerks, he was quite plump.
The chief greeted Ji Wihan without even getting up from the sofa.
"Yes, these are unsettling times, but Chief, you look even more affluent."
"Hahaha! Isn't this all proof of leisure?"
The chief laughed heartily, slapping his belly at Ji Wihan's subtle jab. However, an unmissable ferocity was felt in his eyes.
『Kim Hak-do』
Characteristics: 「Brawler (lv.1)」/「Greed (lv.4)」/「Cruel (lv.2)」
Sure enough, the chief's characteristics told of a nature that one should not get close to.
'With this, there's a high probability he has a skill, too?'
It wasn't certain, but like me, the psycho, and Ji Wihan, everyone with two personality characteristics had a skill. I didn't know what the psycho's skill was, but recalling him saying it wasn't very good, it was clear he had a skill.
Moreover, he also had a physical ability enhancement characteristic like the musclehead had, and he would naturally have a gun, so I needed to observe him more carefully. So that I could cope with any unexpected situation.
"Who's behind you?"
"An intern who newly joined the assemblyman's office."
"Where's Assemblyman Jung?"
"He's in Yongsan."
"...Is that so? Tsk tsk. For an old man, he sure has a long lifeline."
Now that I think about it, this was the first time I'd heard news about the assemblyman Ji Wihan served. The look on his face wasn't good when delivering the news of Yongsan, so it seemed he was really in Yongsan.
"With the country in this state, can you confidently go around with such a flimsy guy? Why don't you just come here? If you're Ji's aide, I could give you a good position."
The chief reached out to Ji Wihan while sitting, as if he didn't care about me. It was an arrogant attitude as if he were the king.
Looking at his state and personality characteristics, I was certain that Ji Wihan would never live comfortably under him.
Ji Wihan, who seemed to know that as well, immediately refused.
"I decline."
"Huh? What, wasn't that why you wanted to see me?"
"No. I simply came to convey information."
"Information? What is it?"
"Haven't you heard anything through the police line?"
"It's been a while since that line was cut off. Maybe the guys with stars are just giggling among themselves."
By stars, he seemed to be referring to the ranks of Senior Superintendent or higher, but there was no trace of respect for superiors to be found in the chief. He was no longer a policeman. He was just the head of the dog-like police jerks occupying COEX, the hotel, and the department store, and handling civilians as they pleased.
"I see. Then I'll start with what I need to say first. A military report was uploaded to the assemblyman's hotline."
"Is that so? What happened to the military?"
"They say they're not moving to maintain the defense line."
"The military can't beat mere zombies?"
"That's what I came to inform you about. It seems that the more zombies you kill, the stronger zombies come up."
"So what? Are you telling me to quietly become zombie food?"
"No. I just meant that you should refrain from indiscriminately making gunshots or deliberately herding zombies to kill them."
"Is that so? I understand for now. And?"
"Since the chief is here, I don't think any other advice is needed. That's the end of my business."
"Okay. I heard you well. Now, what are you going to do with Ji's aide? Do you have anywhere else to go?"
"No. I'm planning to go to Seongnam City, where my family home is. I just stopped by on the way down."
"Huh? Weren't Ji's aide's parents professors at Korea University?"
"They've been on sabbatical since last year and have gone down to the family home."
"Is that so…."
The chief dragged out his words, as if he had some scheme in mind, and fell into contemplation for a moment.
During the awkward silence that followed, I had to try hard not to show any impatience, unlike the composed Ji Wihan.
'Damn it. Shouldn't I have met with the chief?'
The moment the chief turned into an enemy, this place was no different from being in the middle of enemy territory.
"I don't want to just let you go."
"What do you mean by that?"
"I have some grudges against Assemblyman Jung. Seeing Ji's aide reminds me of that guy's face."
"If the chief hadn't been involved in arranging prostitution with Assemblywoman Ahn Gwi-jin, that wouldn't have happened. It's just regrettable that the world turned out like this before the judgment of the law could be carried out."
I wondered what kind of collusion it was, but it turned out to be arranging prostitution. I guess he deserves to be called a ferocious beast.
Anyway, even with 「Words Match Deeds (lv.4)」, I didn't expect him to throw facts in the chief's face in this situation. He did that when the musclehead came before too; he was subtly aggressive, unlike what he looked like.
If the chief was born with the nature of a beast, Ji Wihan must have been born with the heart of a beast as well. Unfortunately, his athletic ability was terrible.
"Hahaha!"
The chief laughed heartily at Ji Wihan's provocative retort. I had to maximize the tension as much as possible. He was now openly revealing his ferocity in his eyes, not even trying to hide it.
"I guess Ji's aide is young, so he's definitely got some spirit. But you know, you have to be careful about when you show off."
It was the moment the chief was about to put his hand behind his back. I had been closely watching the chief's every move, and I immediately dashed past Ji Wihan.
"You little bug!"
At the same time as the chief took out a revolver from behind his back, I had also reached close to the chief.
And as the chief pointed the gun at me, I likewise reached out my hand towards the muzzle.
Taang—
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