Chapter 73

Chapter 73

After returning straight to the Blue House, I gave Cheon Myeongguk my thoughts on what had just happened.

“..."

Cheon Myeongguk, who had been pleased that there were no casualties from the transcendent call, went rigid.

“First, I offer my condolences that you had to see something unpleasant. I never imagined blind spots like this would occur in the welfare system. If I may offer an excuse, it's a side effect of the safeguards meant to prevent reckless overdistribution. I will submit a proposal so we can shore up the gaps.”

Cheon Myeongguk explained that in cases like this one, the mother of the runaway children was sometimes cooperating with villains, or the marriage had been a sham from the start.

Come to think of it, I hadn't confirmed whether she was their biological mother.

The issue of reckless overdistribution was something I'd also heard about from the civil servant in charge.

I agreed with that part.

“There are holes in any policy.”

Everything has two sides.

Resources are limited, and when you screen qualifications strictly, blind spots appear.

In this era where monsters and villains run rampant, resources are scarce and the people who want them are overflowing. It's arguably only natural that the desperate ones prepare thoroughly and walk away with the support.

Cheon Myeongguk's gaze toward me turned cautious.

“Is there something else you'd like?”

“From what I can see, the support the country provides is sufficient. The staff actually handling it were excellent in their response—they simply couldn't do more because of the regulations.”

“That's a relief.”

In the end, supporting vulnerable households was something that could be fixed just by revising the manual.

Look a little more closely, reinforce the clauses—that was all it took.

The problem was what came after.

I held out the boxed meal I'd brought from the community office to Cheon Myeongguk.

“This is...?”

“It's the boxed meal provided to vulnerable households.”

“It's quite poor.”

Cheon Myeongguk clicked his tongue and muttered. He'd be even more shocked if he knew the price. So I told him the price too.

“They say that costs 6,000 won.”

“Those son of a—! Even the reserve forces didn't get fed this badly!”

A reaction I hadn't expected at all burst out of him.

Under my stare, Cheon Myeongguk looked sheepish and said,

“I'm from the reserve forces generation. Back in the day, the reserves got miserable meals too. Even so, the boxed meals in my time were passable—this is a bit much.”

According to Cheon Myeongguk, the reserve forces' boxed meals had also cost 6,000 won.

Quality-wise, it was acceptable even if it felt a little pricey. He said you had to account for inflation, but this was going too far.

Anyway, reserve forces—that was a system that had disappeared long ago as the number of monsters kept growing.

Everything I knew about it came from the occasional times my father talked about his military days.

Hmm, I don't recall a single good thing being said.

In any case, since Cheon Myeongguk was angry too, it became easier to talk.

“From what I can see, the biggest problem is this.”

What I showed him was the soup. It looked exactly like doenjang soup. But the moment I tasted it, I couldn't hold back my horror.

“This is an insult to doenjang soup.”

How dare they make doenjang soup like this! Even I could make it cheaper and tastier.

“Mm, it's shit soup.”

Cheon Myeongguk clicked his tongue in agreement.

Shit soup? Crude as the expression was, it fit perfectly.

This boxed meal is subsidized with government money. I said I'd visit the boxed meal company just to find out what they'd been thinking when they made this, and Cheon Myeongguk balked.

“Wouldn't it be better to think on that a while longer?”

“Why?”

All I had to do was visit the place that made the boxed meals and ask how this could possibly come out to 6,000 won.

Of course, I don't deny that margins exist.

Companies are in it to make a living, so turning a profit is only natural. Take the Big Bang Series—the production cost is absurdly low. That's why the profit margin is so high.

Even so, consumers buy when they judge the price to be 'reasonable.' No matter how high the margin, if people buy it, it doesn't matter.

But would anyone buy this boxed meal for 6,000 won? A 3,800-won convenience store boxed meal looks better than this.

From where I stand, if this boxed meal were 2,500 won, and assuming my bank balance was 2,500 won, and this were the only boxed meal left—I'd agonize for about thirty minutes, then squeeze my eyes shut and buy it.

“For now, wouldn't it be better to discuss this together? I'll report to the President.”

I'd said it to keep him from worrying, but Cheon Myeongguk was the one making the case bigger.

Is this really something the President needs to know? Isn't it a trivial matter?

“There's no need to go that far—”

“I'll report it immediately. Please wait.”

Cheon Myeongguk vanished at terrifying speed, then poked his head back out.

“You must not leave before I return.”

“..."

Is he that distrustful of me?

How rational a person am I?

I felt a little forlorn, as if I wasn't trusted.

*

The quite lengthy conversation came to an end.

The President, having succeeded in slowing Choi Junho's movements, let out a long sigh mixed with relief.

“So what was bound to blow up finally blew up.”

“I'm sorry. I tried to resolve it at my level, but I wasn't enough.”

“No, it was the right call. If I hadn't held him back, he would have gone straight to his destination. And thinking about how that would have ended is horrifying. Director Cheon's judgment prevented a mass slaughter in the middle of Seoul.”

“...Thank you.”

The President's words were Cheon Myeongguk's thoughts as well.

It was Choi Junho who had killed a chief prosecutor without a moment's hesitation at the Central Investigation Department. Blowing up a single boxed meal company would be easier for him than flipping his palm.

Above all, the 6,000-won boxed meal Choi Junho had brought was obviously skimmed in the middle.

The problem was that this was a support program run by Seoul Metropolitan City.

Judging by how Choi Junho thought, the company was selected by Seoul Metropolitan City's decision, and the final decision-maker would be the Mayor of Seoul.

For reference, the Mayor of Seoul is a prominent ruling-party politician.

The President persuaded Choi Junho by promising Seoul Metropolitan City's cooperation on this matter.

This was the best option.

“I thought diligent tax payment would greatly contribute to the finances, but it's producing side effects I never even imagined.”

“What will you do?”

“This is so clear-cut that it's hard to even say anything. And of all things to pull tricks with, it had to be food.”

How did the President end up in the role of persuading a transcendent?

But this phenomenon had been foreordained the moment they laid hands on Busan Metropolitan City.

The problem was just that the timing was far too early.

And this incident had piled up one more piece of information.

Choi Junho is dead serious about food.

However, Cheon Myeongguk raised a concern on a different front.

“Mayor Han Jeongmun may push back.”

“So what if he pushes back? He'll end up like Yoo Seongsu—brainwashed, spilling his corruption left and right, then dying. Right now, pushing back isn't what matters. And what's some nobody's pushback going to amount to anyway?”

If Yoo Seongsu was the Mayor of Busan and a powerful opposition-party presidential candidate, then Han Jeongmun was the Mayor of Seoul and a powerful ruling-party presidential candidate.

As monsters appeared and urban functions became concentrated, the status of metropolitan government heads had risen several notches.

Seoul Metropolitan City was an exception here, as the central government had largely taken over its functions.

As a result, unlike other cities with strong independence, it tended to be subordinate to the government.

That didn't mean it was in a position to be ignored like this, but the opponent was unfortunate.

“Ignore any pushback and think only about suppressing this early.”

“Yes.”

“We'll need to conduct an investigation as well.”

The President fell into thought for a moment. After much deliberation, he made his decision and gave Cheon Myeongguk his orders.

“Summon Ji Changyong and Han Jeongmun. Even if their limbs burn, we have to stop their heads from exploding.”

“I'll contact them immediately.”

Ji Changyong was the four-term ruling-party leader, and Han Jeongmun was the Mayor of Seoul.

The two men, who could be called the ruling party's real powers, hurriedly gathered at the Blue House.

*

The change that came over me after bringing Jin Sejeong onto the team was that a single speed bump now appeared whenever I moved to act.

I don't think of it badly.

If she had tried to force my actions, I wouldn't have worked with her regardless of how capable she was.

As if she'd sensed this, Jin Sejeong accurately grasped the line I'd drawn and never crossed it.

“I will never stop you from making a decision, Transcendent. Your charm is that unhesitating side of you that never looks back. I don't have the means to stop it, and I shouldn't. But it needs to be made to stand out better.”

“How?”

Jin Sejeong told me directly that I needed to act with more finesse.

“There's definitely corruption in the boxed meal company selection process. But if you just march in there bluntly, you'll be facing the enemy alone. They're an interest community that shares political life. A massive force representing the nation's power. You could win alone, but they have the power to make things troublesome for you. So first, we need to bring public opinion over to your side and neutralize them so they can't interfere. We split the community apart.”

“Public opinion...”

In the past I hadn't cared about that, but after tasting Jin Sejeong's magic and seeing the comment sections fill with messages cheering me on, my thinking changed.

I couldn't verify it for myself, but having more allies was reassuring.

Though most of the comments said they loved oppa, and looking at the age distribution, the thirties were the largest group. What is this? When I asked Jin Sejeong, she said it was always like that. It remains a puzzling mystery.

“They're people who recognize that your anger, Transcendent Choi Junho, is justified.”

...So, unable to refuse Jin Sejeong's urging, I ended up doing a boxed meal mukbang.

Is this right?

Really?

At first, I had no expectations whatsoever.

Still, I thought of it as the process of winning a few viewers over to my side, but a broadcast of me just eating a single boxed meal... is being watched by 300,000 people?

This is a live stream.

“Every single one of them is cheering for you, Transcendent Choi Junho.”

Jin Sejeong—is she a mage?

She was more impressive than Argos's eyes that threatened to overturn the world.

Just what kind of magic is this?

The comment section was filled with nothing but rage. They thought the same as me.

All I'd done on the broadcast was point out that this boxed meal wasn't worth 6,000 won. Eating was the entirety of it.

The effect of a thirty-minute investment was truly intense.

Articles were already coming out.

The standout headline was, as expected, Go Yejin's.

“Now you can do as you please, Transcendent. Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Nothing. Just—you're reliable.”

“Thank you for trusting me.”

The small-statured Jin Sejeong felt very large.

*

When I headed to Seoul City Hall, the one who came out to greet me was the city's deputy mayor.

“I'm Ham Gukgi, Administrative Deputy Mayor. It's an honor to meet you, Transcendent.”

“Choi Junho.”

It's a name on the list of figures I'd organized.

Ham Gukgi bowed his head.

“First, I apologize for causing you concern, Transcendent Choi Junho.”

“It's fine.”

What I'd felt was on a very minor level, anyway. I just wanted to grasp the process by which something like this had come to happen.

My taxes paid to the government matter, and the local taxes paid to Seoul Metropolitan City matter too.

Isn't it natural to wonder how those taxes are being spent?

“What I want to know is the boxed meal company selection process.”

“Ah, yes. That, well, it was so long ago.”

“Is there no documentation?”

“No, there is. It's just, well, ambiguous. Haha!”

He laughed awkwardly and watched my reaction. That alone told me what he was thinking.

So he's trying to gloss over it. Exactly as expected.

“If it was long ago, that means these boxed meals have been distributed since then.”

“Yes, I suppose because we entrust the work to people we trust, something like this happened.”

“That's nonsense.”

“..."

Ham Gukgi's mouth shut. I could hear the gears turning in his head.

Even after bringing public opinion over to my side, the thought circuits of a man bent on making excuses don't change, do they?

“Which department selected the boxed meal company?”

“That, well, it was a department that existed before, but it's currently been dissolved and merged.”

“Then I'll just look through all of those departments. Bring me the documents.”

“Th-that, I...”

“Deputy Mayor.”

“Yes.”

“What I want to know is who was involved with the boxed meal company. The reason I'm sitting here is to resolve this as quickly as possible—not because I intend to be persuaded by your words.”

Since I cut him off cleanly, Ham Gukgi could no longer talk his way around it. He called a staff member to bring the documents, then began making excuses to me.

“At the time, the department received bids and selected the company together with a civic organization called 'Sharing Together.' But the thing is, beyond the quality of the boxed meals, they also weighed contributions to the city and the company representative's creditworthiness...”

“Then I'll start by investigating the civic organization that selected the company.”

“Is it that simple? Then we'll conduct a thorough investigation and—”

“Deputy Mayor.”

“Y-yes.”

Once I knew who was involved, the rest would flow like water. There was no need to wait for Seoul Metropolitan City to investigate and bring me the information.

And having recalled the information on Ham Gukgi, I no longer felt the need to hold back.

“Your name is listed as a director of that organization.”

“Ah, no! I belong to a different organization. I have no connection to it.”

“Then why is your name on it?”

If the name was listed falsely, then he'd pocketed money he had no right to. If he was actually affiliated, then the deputy mayor had thrown his weight behind the boxed meal company selection and gotten a cut.

Seeing him make excuses when the truth was this obvious made it clear he took me for a fool.

“Th-that is...”

I definitely seem to have an allergy to bullshit.

Listening to pathetic excuses, I find myself instinctively wanting to smash their heads in.

No longer feeling any need to go easy on him, I used my hand.

“You've got a long tongue—are you that eager to have it pulled out, running your mouth like that?”

Crack!

“Guaaahk!”

The moment my hand, loaded with an Arc Mine, touched his collarbone, a chilling burst rang out and Ham Gukgi's shoulder caved in as he screamed and collapsed.

A pity. Such a pity.

He knew what happened to people who mouthed off in front of me, so why did he keep making excuses? If he'd just admitted his wrongdoing and come clean... hmm, even then, I probably would have left him in that state.

At the noise from inside, the door opened and people came in.

There was fear in the gazes directed at me.

I gestured, took the documents that arrived belatedly, and summoned Ham Gukgi's superior.

“Tell the mayor to come.”

And here I’d thought that since he was from the ruling party, we’d be able to talk things through.

Had the President not briefed him properly?

If this was how it was going to be, it seemed better to just go to him directly.

“If he won’t come, then I’ll go.”