Chapter 66 – 066. Vampire Detective
066. Vampire Detective
After the Halloween cruise ship incident, the influence of the Korean Black Cross Society plummeted.
Until then, the Korean Black Cross Society had received consideration and support from the South Korean government. This was because the Black Cross Society had the cause of hunting vampires for humanity, and thus received support from the United Nations.
In fact, the Korean Black Cross Society had achieved considerable merit. They had been steadily hunting vampires in Korea for a long time, protecting the Korean nights. Until recently, that is.
‘…This time, trust in the Korean Black Cross Society has crumbled.’
Director Lee Moon-hyun bit his lip. Previously, he could contact the president directly. But now, he had to go through the Chief of Staff of the Blue House to reach the president. This alone was enough to realize how much the influence of the Korean Black Cross Society had declined.
Currently, the South Korean government is deeply concerned about Red Light. Red Light must be killed at all costs. Red Light, who disrupts the laws and order of the existing society, is very dangerous.
The problem is how to kill Red Light. The Black Cross Society, which can be said to be experts in vampire hunting, had failed. Also, they realized this time that it would be difficult to catch Red Light with the power of the police alone.
However, they couldn’t mobilize the military just to catch Red Light. The South Korean people would surely react sensitively to the movement of the military. Moreover, mobilizing the military just because of Red Light was an insult and humiliation to South Korea itself.
‘The South Korean government can’t move actively. All they can do is mobilize the police.’
This is because public opinion in South Korea is supporting Red Light.
Red Light is a dark hero with superpowers.
This was the image of Red Light that the people had these days. Of course, there were many people who criticized Red Light. It was also true that the vampire hunters who pretended to be police special forces were defeated and annihilated by Red Light. However, the fierce support of young people for Red Light buries their criticism.
At the same time, the incompetence of the police was highlighted in this Halloween cruise ship incident.
The fact that Chinese human trafficking gangs were openly operating in Korea, yet they didn’t even notice, let alone investigate.
The fact that high-ranking police officials were involved in Kim Chun-seok’s sex bribery and other incidents. The distrust of the police that had been gradually accumulated had now exploded all at once.
‘The Black Cross Societies of the UK and the US have refused requests for support.’
The superficial reason was to deal with the vampires in their own countries.
‘…They also know. That Red Light is different from ordinary vampire progenitors.’
They knew the danger of Red Light. That moving vampire hunters carelessly would be no match for Red Light.
‘In the end, it’s someone else’s problem. You bastards.’
Red Light is only active in Korea. There is no sign that he is trying to go to another country. In the end, the foreign Black Cross Societies decided to leave Red Light alone.
‘It’s the same even if I contact the Black Cross Society headquarters.’
All that came back was that they didn’t have the resources to support.
‘Did they think that Red Light would stay in Korea forever? You idiots.’
Lee Moon-hyun tried his best to maintain his composure as he walked along the mountain path. The person he was about to meet was one of the people he revered. No matter how bad the situation was, he didn’t want to show him a bad side of himself.
At the end of the mountain path was a temple.
Hudansa Temple.
It is a temple located deep in a mountain in Gangwon Province. However, there are no monks in this temple. They passed away 10 years ago. The man who is currently living in this temple is the teacher and friend of that monk.
Lee Moon-hyun took a breath and stepped into Hudansa Temple.
‘…Every time I come here, it feels like I’ve come to another world.’
Hudansa Temple was quiet. Not even the sound of insects could be heard. Only the moonlight in the sky illuminated the inside of Hudansa Temple. At first glance, it looked like an abandoned house with no one there.
Lee Moon-hyun paused for a moment and then moved his steps towards the garden, not the house. It was where the pavilion was located.
On the old pavilion, a man in his early to mid-twenties was sitting still. The man wearing a black robe was just quietly staring at the void. Next to him was a Korean sword in its scabbard.
Lee Moon-hyun deliberately made a sound and approached the pavilion where the man was sitting.
“It’s been a while, Elder Baek.”
Baek Sang-gi slowly turned his head towards Lee Moon-hyun. Lee Moon-hyun quickly bowed his head to avoid his eyes.
Lee Moon-hyun had always felt a chill whenever he looked into Baek Sang-gi’s eyes. His eyes seemed like the eyes of something other than a human.
“Moon-hyun, it’s been a while. Your face has aged. How many years has it been?”
“It’s been 8 years, Elder Baek.”
“…Hmm. It’s already been 8 years. Since I don’t do anything, I don’t even know how time passes.”
Baek Sang-gi’s tone was gentle. But if you listened closely, you could tell that his voice was very dry.
Baek Sang-gi.
A man who has lived for 300 years.
He had accidentally eaten an artifact called the Bead of Life 300 years ago, and he had lived without aging ever since. He was called a shaman or a hermit, and he was a legendary vampire hunter who hunted down vampires in Joseon as he saw them.
However, he retired 30 years ago and has been living in the mountains ever since.
Lee Moon-hyun had no idea what he was thinking. No, before that, could a human who has lived for 300 years be called a human?
“…I need your help, Elder.”
“My help? If it’s vampire hunting, you guys are doing well, so it doesn’t matter if I don’t step in.”
“…The vampire hunters in Korea have been annihilated.”
“Annihilated? That’s surprising news.”
Baek Sang-gi’s voice remained unchanged.
Is he really surprised? Lee Moon-hyun tried to erase the rising question.
“It’s a vampire progenitor named Red Light. We couldn’t handle him alone. I need your help, Elder.”
“Wouldn’t it be better to ask for help from the court… no, the government, rather than me?”
“The relationship between the South Korean government and the Black Cross Society has broken down. The foreign Black Cross Societies don’t have the resources to support us. Now, you’re the only one left for us.”
“…That progenitor, Red Light, must be no ordinary vampire.”
“If you don’t step in… he will dominate Seoul… no, the nights of Korea. We must hunt him down as soon as possible.”
“……”
Baek Sang-gi looked at the night sky and pondered for a moment before opening his mouth.
“What kind of guy is Red Light?”
“I have a video. Please watch it and make a judgment.”
Lee Moon-hyun took out his smartphone, played the video, and handed it to him. These were the videos he had watched countless times to study Red Light.
Baek Sang-gi picked up the smartphone with an awkward gesture. Baek Sang-gi also had a smartphone, but he had not gotten used to it even after several years. The smartphone was just a gift, and he didn’t use it often.
“Ho.”
Light flickered in Baek Sang-gi’s eyes as he watched the combat video of Red Light. It was different from the eyes that had been looking at everything in vain. They were human-like eyes.
“This guy, his name is Red Light? He’s an interesting guy. Putting aside the ridiculous clown mask… his swordsmanship is no ordinary.”
“His superpowers are also bizarre. We suspect that he is the first progenitor to have more than two superpowers.”
“Is that so?”
Baek Sang-gi answered casually. He was engrossed in watching Red Light’s combat video.
“…Do you have any other videos?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Show me. I’m interested in him.”
Lee Moon-hyun played the videos as he wanted. It was good for Lee Moon-hyun that Baek Sang-gi was interested.
“Using a sword instead of a gun in this day and age…. I want to exchange swords with him once.”
Baek Sang-gi asked Lee Moon-hyun to rewind Red Light’s combat video several times.
Then, Baek Sang-gi asked Lee Moon-hyun with a question.
“Is this guy really a progenitor?”
“Yes?”
“I have cut down thousands of vampires so far. Most of them prefer a fighting style that utilizes the vampire’s superior physical abilities. But this guy is different. He has superior physical abilities, but he relies on technique rather than strength. He fights like a human.”
“Isn’t that… his preference?”
“That could be. But, I’ve seen the swordsmanship that Red Light uses. No, to be precise, I should say it’s similar swordsmanship.”
“We also investigated the swordsmanship he uses, but we couldn’t find out.”
The Korean Black Cross Society thoroughly investigated Red Light. They tried to find out the origin of Red Light’s clown mask, the origin of his clothes, and even the origin of his swordsmanship.
None of them were successful. They couldn’t even find out who made the clown mask, and the brand of the clothes he wore didn’t exist. The same was true for swordsmanship. They asked experts in China and Japan beyond Korea, but no one knew.
“That’s right. It’s a swordsmanship that has been forgotten now. Moon-hyun, do you know about the Sword Society?”
“…Isn’t it a military group from the Joseon Dynasty? I also know that it was a group of vampire hunters behind the scenes. In a way, they could be the predecessors of our Korean Black Cross Society.”
The Sword Society. It was a military group from the Joseon Dynasty. According to the records, it wasn’t a very good group.
“That’s right. I was also a member of the Sword Society at one time. At that time, I had the opportunity to see the swordsmanship of some of the executives of the Sword Society. I thought the lineage would be completely cut off… but it still remains.”
“…Could it be. Is Red Light’s swordsmanship from the Sword Society?”
Baek Sang-gi nodded.
“It’s not exactly the same swordsmanship. Perhaps it has continued to evolve.”
Then, a smile appeared on Baek Sang-gi’s lips.
“The Sword Society’s killing sword…. This is something, my blood is boiling after decades.”
“Killing sword…”
“Originally, our swordsmanship contains the meaning of combat, self-defense, reason, and mental and physical training. But the killing sword is a swordsmanship solely for killing. The reason contained in that swordsmanship is to kill efficiently.”
“…How does it compare to your swordsmanship, Elder?”
“It’s a sword that is the opposite of my Principle Sword. Moon-hyun. The superiority of different swordsmanship cannot be known until they clash. If we fight, it doesn’t seem like I can win easily. My swordsmanship… it has stopped at some point, just like my aging has stopped.”
Lee Moon-hyun knelt in front of him and bowed his head. The cold air of the dirt floor was felt through his knees.
“Please help me. Elder. Red Light cannot be stopped unless it is you.”
“Okay.”
Baek Sang-gi said coolly. Lee Moon-hyun was so taken aback by the unexpectedly clean answer.
“I was going to refuse until you showed me this guy’s video. But, after seeing his swordsmanship, I thought I had to stop him. I’m the only one who can stop him. For the sake of posterity… no, to be honest, I will kill him for my last moment.”
“Last, you say…”
“I will kill him, and I will also die. I’m glad that I have a place to die.”
Lee Moon-hyun and Baek Sang-gi’s eyes met in the air.
Lee Moon-hyun felt a chill run down his spine.
“Moon-hyun. Immortality is not a blessing.”
•••
In the meantime, I quietly monitored the broker, Kang Wook-sung. I even used hidden cameras and wiretaps that I had obtained from the Code: XTK world.
‘These are things that are not easy to detect with modern technology.’
Kang Wook-sung’s affiliation is Kantra, a vampire organization.
And the guy who will bring the Flower of Life to Korea is an executive of Kantra.
Since there is a connection, they will contact each other. In fact, in the original drama, there is a passing mention that Kantra’s executive met with Kang Wook-sung.
I have been meeting with Kang Wook-sung steadily recently.
It was under the guise of receiving money laundering and the proceeds from the sale of the artwork I had requested before. The real purpose was to monitor Kang Wook-sung and hack his smartphone.
‘Haha. Bingo!’
After much effort, I was able to obtain the information I wanted.
November 21st.
It is the day that Doris Ziegler, an executive of Kantra, will enter Korea illegally. She plans to enter Busan by ship from Japan.
‘As I thought, she’s coming in faster than in the original.’
In the original, she came to Korea after December.
The reason why I didn’t trust the contents of the original and monitored Kang Wook-sung directly was because the contents had already been twisted from the original.
‘The Korean vampire hunters… the Korean Black Cross Society has suffered almost catastrophic damage. If they were to come to Korea, now would be the right time.’
I chuckled.
