Chapter 18

Chapter 18 – Having Too Much of a Good Thing #5

36 hours before he implemented the test swap plan that required the use of his crime skills.

Tae-hyuk met the secretary of Park Seong-ho at a coffee shop.

“Yes, so you wanted to know what it is like to be a politician's secretary?"

“Yes.”

"If you have any questions then please, feel free to ask. I am a sunbae in your department, and this isn't a particularly difficult request."

Tae-hyuk bowed and spoke his appreciation.

"Thank you, Sunbae-nim!"

“By the way, you are part of the political science department at K University, correct?"

"Yes. I am student number 15."

"Haha! A freshman. At first glance, I thought you were a high school student."

Tae-hyuk awkwardly scratched the back of his head.

“Sunbae-nim also looks very young. I heard that you were student number 97."

“Well, I am but a complete fossil. Then, shall we start the interview?"

Tae-hyuk approached the secretary as a political science university student seeking an interview.

This was all in order to obtain the secretary's voice. In order to imitate a voice using the Voice Modulation skill, he had to meet someone and directly listen to their voice. The skill couldn't be activated through a recording or a phone call.

The interview took around 20 minutes.

The secretary was currently showing a very pleasant expression, an aftereffect of meeting a hoobae from his university.

Tae-hyuk had one final question.

“Finally, there is something I always wanted to know. If the politician did something morally wrong, what should the secretary do?"

The secretary's eyes widened in response, as if he was surprised by the unexpected question.

He sat in the chair and thought hard.

“A secretary is a senator's hands and feet. Even if he commits any wrongdoing, it is still right to follow him silently. In some cases, senators will amputate their arms if need be. However, I am talking to my cute hoobae who wants to become a secretary, so that isn't a realistic answer. I'll try to mix in my own opinions as well."

The secretary took a sip of his sugarless, bitter black coffee.

He seemed to be looking somewhere into the distance, instead of at Tae-hyuk who was currently sitting in front of him.

“Yes, a secretary is the senator's hands and feet; however, I think secretaries should also have a conscience that is able to judge wrong from right. If the senator is walking down the street in the wrong direction, it is the secretary's job to inform them so. Anyways, that's just my personal opinion. A secretary's words might just fall on deaf ears."

The secretary laughed softly.

"No. I have definitely learned a lot from you today. Thank you."

Tae-hyuk bowed, fully displaying his gratitude. The secretary laughed, and seemed to like it.

“Then, should I buy you dinner this evening?"

Tae-hyuk made an apologetic expression and said.

"… Really, I must thank you very much, but I still need to submit my report by tomorrow."

"I see. It has been a long time since I've even thought about university. It was great to see you. Please call at the next opportunity and I'll be sure to have a drink with you."

"Yes, I understand."

The secretary left the cafe with a regretful expression.

Tae-hyuk remained in his seat and took out a notebook from his bag. The word, 'blacklist', was written on the front cover in neat handwriting. It was a book that contained the names of 120 criminals. The book depicted the crimes they committed and detailed how they got caught. Tae-hyuk wrote down all of the things he remembered from those 15 years. A book that contained future events. 

It was one of the two weapons that Seo Tae-hyuk had.

“Well. Let’s see…"

Tae-hyuk found the page he was looking for near the end of the notebook.

Blacklist NO.117, Park Seong-ho. A politician who committed numerous wrongdoings since becoming a senator.

It would happen approximately two years from now. Due to the secretary's declaration of conscience, most of the senator's crimes were revealed, and he went to prison.

The charges ranged from bribery to the instigation of murders. Still, Park Seong-ho only received a jail sentence of four years, of which he only served one. He was released on parole for the other three on good behaviour.

Tae-hyuk had never met Park Seong-ho. Park Seong-ho had a great deal of prestige within the prison. It was less like he was staying in a prison, and more like he was staying at a luxury hotel.

However, Tae-hyuk clearly remembered the day that Park Seong-ho was caught. Not only did he commit numerous acts of corruption, he also did not hesitate to use gangs to eliminate any in his way.

Eventually, all of his sins were revealed by his secretary, who couldn't stand doing the dirty work for the senator any longer. The raised dog had risen to bite his own leg.

“Park Seong-ho's secretary… No, student number 97 of K University's political science department, Lee Ki-hwan. You will commit numerous evil deeds in the next two years, until you can't tolerate the weight of your sins, and make a declaration of conscience in the end. Before that happens, I will make you a loyalist."

Tae-hyuk changed his voice to Lee Ki-hwan's using Voice Modulation. He then pulled out Lee Ki-hwan's phone that he had stolen during the interview. There was a number that he called and hung up on several times a day.

What was Lee Ki-hwan thinking as Tae-hyuk now held this? All Tae-hyuk was doing now was profiting off of Lee Ki-hwan's efforts.

“Hello. I was to make a report to the press director. Yes, I am Park Seong-ho's secretary, Lee Ki-hwan.”

Tae-hyuk was just doing what Lee Ki-hwan would've done several years later.

*     *     *

Park Sung-kwang flopped onto the ground with a flustered expression, a smartphone with DMB functionality in his hands. All channels were broadcasting about Park Seong-ho.

The current situation was like an onion. The more someone peeled, the more that was revealed.

“T-This can't be… F-Father…"

"Wah, he played very nicely with the leader of a crime syndicate."

“No way, perhaps…"

Park Sung-kwang stared blankly at the sky, unable to believe the reality revealed in front of him.

At that moment, a spark formed in his eyes.

“Seo. Tae. Hyuk! This was all done by you!  I will kill you!"

"How? Will you do it directly?"

Park Sung-kwang called out to his subordinate.

“Kim Jin-soo! Where are you? Come out right now…!"

Tae-hyuk shook his head.

“He broke his leg, so why are you looking for him so urgently?"

“Kuook!"

Park Sung-kwang made a sound that was a cross between a moan and a scream, and charged towards Tae-hyuk in despair.

"Aigoo. Be careful, this place is the roof."

He lost his temper and tried to hit Tae-hyuk with his fists, who narrowly dodged them.

They slightly scraped Tae-hyuk's side, triggering the Robbery skill.

[Robbery has been used.]

-Please select the item you want to steal!

Tae-hyuk manipulated the Demon Revealing Mirror and chose Park Sung-kwang's waistband.

It seemed that he was lucky, or that his opponent just had bad luck. Robbery had succeeded on the second attempt.

"Kuhuk!"

All of a sudden, Park Sung-kwang's pants fell down. He couldn't move properly because his legs were trapped.

“I think you should give up."

However, Park Sung-kwang didn't give up, and forced his body to move as he aimed at Seo Tae-hyuk.

“Aaaaaaack!”

But in the end, his body lost its balance and he fell onto a fence that was set up around the perimeter of the roof.

Kung!

The fence was unable to endure the weight of a human and started to fall. It should have been able to endure the weight of three or four humans. This was the result of bad construction due to politicians being bribed.

Kiiiiik!

“Aaaaack!”

Park Sung-kwang shrieked as his body started to fall to the ground along with the fence. If he fell, then he would die.

Tae-hyuk clicked his tongue.

He grabbed Park Sung-kwang's collar and pulled him up onto the rooftop.

“You haven't paid your dues yet. You shouldn't die like this."

Tae-hyuk had received only one million won from Park Sung-kwang. The rest would be paid after the test results came out.

"Well, I don't think you will be able to give it to me."

Park Sung-kwang's legs had collapsed out of the fear of death. The area around his groin had become damp, and he was literally stunned.

News about Park Seong-ho was spewing from the smartphone dropped onto the roof. An arrest warrant was issued and a full-scale investigation had begun.

Tae-hyuk formed a finger gun with his hand, and pointed towards Park Sung-kwang, who had fainted.

"Bang!"

*     *     *

“T-Tae-hyuk, are you okay?"

An Eun-young asked with a concerned expression.

"Ouchh!"

Tae-hyuk was sitting on a bed in the infirmary, holding an ice pack to his swollen face.

Although the situation was somewhat clear, it didn't exactly end well.

Park Sung-kwang was rushed away in an ambulance. Despite the opposition of Jung Nam-ho, a disciplinary committee was held for Tae-hyuk. The result was a one month suspension and 40 hours of community service.

Causing a disturbance in the broadcasting room. School property damage. Committing violence. These were his crimes.

"… Well, I didn't think I would be proclaimed innocent even with the broadcast."

"B-But…! Tae-hyuk didn't do anything wrong!"

Tae-hyuk laughed.

Rather, things had worked out pretty well.

Seo Tae-hyuk had achieved first in the test results. Almost all the teachers, except Jung Nam-ho, suspected that there was cheating going on. In the end, they decided on a retest. Of course, if he took the test now, then his average would be around 70 points. However, Tae-hyuk was suspended from tomorrow on. The retest would be taken a month later.

"Well, it is okay since I got revenge for Class President. Instead, I want to ask you something. Please help me study in the next month and in the future."

An Eun-young tearfully said.

"O-Of course! I’ll teach you!"

How much could An Eun-young, the owner of the studying skill, raise his grade in one month? 

One thing was certain, he would study until he died.

Tae-hyuk smiled.

Although he couldn't get everything he wanted, he decided to be satisfied with this much.

More than anything else.

'I no longer need to steal any more strange things!'

He had used three affinity points on an attribute for 'Robbery.' If the skill was accidentally activated, then he could decide what to steal.

"Tae-hyuk. I’ll wipe off the blood on your mouth."

“Ah, I’m sorry. Please."

An Eun-young grabbed a towel and approached Tae-hyuk.

"Kyak!"

At that moment, An Eun-young tripped on the bed sheet that had trailed to the ground.

Of course, she fell onto Seo Tae-hyuk who was sitting on the bed, resulting in An Eun-young's body laying on top of him.

“Kuaaaaak! I suddenly fell!"

An Eun-young shrieked and her head hit Tae-hyuk's.

He smeled something faintly sweet.

[Robbery has been used.]

-Please select the item you want to steal!

'……'

Tae-hyuk removed An Eun-young from his side and pulled out the Demon Revealing Mirror.

-Underwear (Top)

-Underwear (Bottom)

-S…

Tae-hyuk inwardly screamed.

'No! It still hasn't changed under these circumstances!'

If he didn't pick something in a hurry, then he would end up stealing something random. Tae-hyuk chose the top option.

An Eun-young was lying next to him and couldn't understand the situation.

Tae-hyuk called out her name.

“Eun-young."

"… Uh, yes?"

"Do you want to see magic once more?"

“Kyaaaaak!”

An Eun-young's face turned red as she understood what he meant.

*     *     *

An Eun-young's information came up on the Demon Revealing Mirror that Tae-hyuk had thrown on the bed.

[An Eun-young] 

-Title: A Model Student in Love

[The details aren't available due to your low rating.]

A single word had completely changed the meaning, but Tae-hyuk had no idea about it.