Into the Creations 68

Chapter 68 – 068. Vampire Detective

068. Vampire Detective

In a suite at a high-end hotel in Seoul.
Baek Sang-gi sat in a chair, sipping green tea and looking out over Seoul. He almost always looked at the scenery of the world. There was no particular reason. Watching the world’s scenery was his habit and custom.

“Is there anything that is making you uncomfortable?”

Lee Moon-hyun asked from behind. Lee Moon-hyun had volunteered to attend to Baek Sang-gi.
Whether it was consideration or surveillance, it didn’t matter to Baek Sang-gi.

“The food is excellent, and the bed is warm. How could I be uncomfortable?”
“I’m glad you like it.”
“Yes. I especially like this view. Seoul has developed so dazzlingly in the short time I’ve been away. In my memory, the Hanyang of 300 years ago is still vivid.”

Baek Sang-gi stroked his chin. It was a habit he had whenever he thought of the old days.
He was both used to and regretful of the fact that he didn’t have a beard.
Even though aging had stopped, things like hair and nails continued to grow. Until 30 years ago, he had grown a beard. He cut his beard because he realized the changes in Korea. Now, it was rare to see anyone with a beard on the Korean peninsula.

“Have you found Jeokgwang?”
“……I’m sorry. I haven’t found him.”
“I don’t intend to blame you. That guy can even turn invisible, can’t he? It wouldn’t be easy to find him. Anyway, time is meaningless to me. I will calmly wait until Jeokgwang appears.”
“I will do my best to find him.”

Baek Sang-gi simply brought the teacup to his lips. Lee Moon-hyun’s eyes were burning with hatred and anger. It was clear that he wouldn’t listen even if he was told to take it slow.
Silence filled the space. Baek Sang-gi continued to sip his tea and look out the window.
It was Lee Moon-hyun who felt awkward. He rolled his eyes for a moment before opening his mouth.

“Elder. I heard that a foreign vampire entered Busan this morning.”
“Busan, you say. You seem to be keeping a close watch.”
“Yes. While searching for Jeokgwang, we are maintaining a minimum surveillance system.”
“That’s good. ……Hmm? Did you say a foreign vampire?”
“Yes. His identity is being investigated. An investigator is currently quietly tailing him. He is an expert, so he won’t be caught.”

Baek Sang-gi put down his teacup.

“……He must be a cadre of Kantra. I see. It’s already been 300 years. It’s that time.”
“Yes?”
“Have you heard of the Bead of Life?”

At that question, Lee Moon-hyun nodded. In his childhood, he had heard about it from the former head of the Korean Black Cross Society, who could be called his benefactor.

“I heard it’s the fruit of immortality. And I know that you, Elder, consumed the Bead of Life.”
“Yes. I ate the Bead of Life and gained physical abilities comparable to a vampire and stopped aging. How much do you know about the Bead of Life?”
“I know that if a human eats it, they gain immortality and superhuman physical abilities, if a vampire eats it, they return to being human, and if a True Ancestor eats it, their superpowers become stronger.”
“You know almost everything. Then, do you know what happens if you eat multiple Beads of Life?”
“……I don’t know.”

Lee Moon-hyun said honestly. The Bead of Life was a very difficult thing to obtain. But to eat it multiple times? He had never heard of it.

“It has no effect on humans from the second time onwards. It’s definite information since I’m the one who experienced it. Vampires would become superhuman since they would have become human. The problem is those True Bloods. True Bloods get stronger every time they eat a Bead of Life.”
“Yes? Is that true? Does that mean they can become infinitely stronger if they have the Bead of Life….”
“Theoretically, yes. However, there probably aren’t many Seeds of Life left in the world.”
“What is the Seed of Life?”
“It’s something a True Blood from the old days made with his superpowers. If you grow the Seed of Life, it becomes a Flower of Life that bears the Bead of Life.”

Lee Moon-hyun’s eyes widened. It was the first time he had heard of this in his life.
Baek Sang-gi got up from his seat.

“300 years ago, three True Bloods came and absorbed the essence of the Korean peninsula with the Flower of Life to create the Bead of Life. At that time, a total of four Beads of Life were produced from one Flower of Life. No matter how I think about it, the Bead of Life is too dangerous for those True Bloods. Moon-hyun, we must go to Mount Seorak.”
“…Yes. I will prepare the car right away.”

•••

I thought about the possibility of Moon Ji-hyuk obtaining the Bead of Life.

‘I’ll take action myself, so I don’t think that will happen… but considering the original work, it’s something I can’t completely ignore.’

There was only one Bead of Life. If Moon Ji-hyuk got it first and ate it right away, things could go wrong.

‘I need to completely control Moon Ji-hyuk. To do that…….’

I picked up my smartphone. There was something more precious to the current Moon Ji-hyuk than his own life.

Taker – Hello, Ms. Yang Jung-min.

I quietly waited for a reply. Today was a weekday, so Yang Jung-min would be working.

Yang Jung-min – Who is this?
Taker – It’s Taker. You could say I’m Detective Moon’s colleague.
Yang Jung-min – You’re Ji-hyuk’s informant.

Yang Jung-min knew me. I was a little surprised. Did Moon Ji-hyuk tell her? No, he wasn’t that kind of guy. Considering Yang Jung-min’s personality, it was unlikely that she would have investigated Moon Ji-hyuk.
Then the remaining possibility was….

‘Moon Ji-hyuk, that bastard…. Doesn’t he manage his phone properly?’

Yang Jung-min – You contacted me…. What’s going on?
Taker – Detective Moon is in danger.
Yang Jung-min – Are you with Ji-hyuk right now?!
Taker – Detective Moon is still safe. So please calm down first. Stay calm and read my message.
Yang Jung-min – …Okay.
Taker – Detective Moon is trying to return to being human this time.

I told Yang Jung-min about the Bead of Life and the vampires, including Doris.

Yang Jung-min – Ji-hyuk is trying to do something like that….
Taker – Detective Moon wants to return to being human with an obsessive level. I think it’s probably because of Ms. Yang Jung-min.
Yang Jung-min – …Should I stop Ji-hyuk?
Yang Jung-min – I guess it’s better to stop him.

“No. That won’t do. No way.”

Surprised, I hurriedly moved my fingers to send her a message.

Taker – Detective Moon will eventually head to Mount Seorak even if Ms. Yang Jung-min stops him. He’s that kind of person, isn’t he?
Yang Jung-min – Yes. Ji-hyuk is that kind of person. Then what should I do?
Taker – Please help Detective Moon. I will also go to Mount Seorak to help Detective Moon. The only people Detective Moon can trust are me and you.

In the original drama, it was the colleagues from the same detective division who helped Moon Ji-hyuk. However, the current detective division colleagues were neither as close as in the original work, nor were they trustworthy.

Yang Jung-min – Okay. I’ll go right away.
Yang Jung-min – It’s better not to tell Ji-hyuk…

Fortunately, Yang Jung-min was not a very stupid woman. If Yang Jung-min had contacted Moon Ji-hyuk, I would have been in trouble.

Taker – I will tell you the location. Let’s move together in Mount Seorak. That’s safer.
Yang Jung-min – Okay. Thank you for letting me know. I’m glad Ji-hyuk has a friend like you.
Taker – It’s a bit of a stretch to call us friends… I guess I’ve grown fond of Detective Moon without realizing it.

I chuckled.

‘Friends, my ass. Well, it was fun playing with him.’

•••

Below Mount Seorak.
A black sedan stopped. The car doors opened, and four men got out.

“Mr. Ziegler. Are you really going to be okay on your own?”

Kang Wook-sung asked Doris politely.

“I’m fine. Mr. Kang. This task that the boss has entrusted to me is a very important mission.”
“May I ask what that task is?”

Doris’s gentle gaze turned sharp.
Kang Wook-sung’s face hardened. He had miscalculated. He thought that Doris’s gentlemanly personality would be okay with this level of questioning.

“I, I’m sorry. I was presumptuous.”
“No. It’s okay. I reacted a bit sensitively too. I’m sorry.”
“It’s nothing.”
“Mr. Kang. This mission must be kept secret. You all must forget what happened today. Your mission ends here. Please return to your original mission.”
“…Understood. But there was a tail today during the day. The Black Cross Society might interfere with your work.”
“I know. But the Korean Black Cross Society is powerless right now. It was lucky. I want to recruit that guy named Jeokgwang. Is there any information about him?”
“No. Jeokgwang moves thoroughly and leaves no trace.”
“That’s a shame. Then I’ll be going now. I’ll return alone.”
“Yes. Please be careful.”
“You too, return safely.”

Doris moved. He lightly kicked off the ground and jumped nearly 2 meters, starting to climb the mountain. He was using the full power of a True Ancestor vampire’s physical abilities.
Doris disappeared from Kang Wook-sung’s sight in an instant.

‘That’s the skill of a cadre…. They said he was top-tier among the True Ancestors, and it wasn’t wrong.’

Kang Wook-sung admired silently. He had talked to or met cadres a few times. But this was the first time he had glimpsed a fragment of their abilities.

“Our work is done. Let’s go back.”

Kang Wook-sung said as he got back into the car.

•••

‘I should go this way.’

Doris, who was running up Mount Seorak, occasionally took out a map he had prepared from his pocket to check the direction.
Doris’s mission was to plant the Flower of Life in a designated place and absorb the essence of the Korean peninsula to create the Bead of Life. The Flower of Life could bear up to four fruits, and with the essence of the Korean peninsula at this time, it could bear all four.

‘The Bead of Life. Ah…. I’m really looking forward to it.’

Doris was planning to consume all four Beads of Life. He had already received the boss’s permission. The boss intended to enhance his teleportation ability.

‘If I eat the Bead of Life, my lifespan will also increase. Ah! What a joyful day this is!’

According to what the boss had said, eating one Bead of Life would increase a True Ancestor’s lifespan by 15 years. If he ate all four, it would increase by a whopping 60 years.
Originally, Doris was scheduled to enter Korea in December. That would have been the case if the Korean vampire hunters hadn’t suffered near-total annihilation. He would have acted slowly, cautiously watching the Korean Black Cross Society.
The current Korea was a relatively safe place for vampires. There was no need to be wary of vampire hunters, so his actions became bolder.

‘It’s here.’

Doris had been running for over an hour and was able to reach his destination. It was an open space where the moon was clearly visible because there were no trees around.
He opened his briefcase and took out the Flower of Life. On the outside, it looked like a small 20cm sunflower. Doris carefully planted the Flower of Life on the open ground.

‘…Hoo. I’m nervous.’

A faint light flowed from the properly planted Flower of Life. It was evidence that it was absorbing essence.

‘Thank goodness. I planted it properly.’

He looked at the Flower of Life with loving eyes. The flower resembled a sunflower, but paradoxically, the faint light surrounding the flower was similar to moonlight.

‘Two hours from now! It will be the longest two hours of my life.’

If the Flower of Life properly absorbed the essence of the Korean peninsula, it would produce a Bead of Life every 30 minutes. Once four Beads of Life were produced, the Flower of Life would wither. The same would happen if he pulled out the Flower of Life he had planted before.
That was why he needed to watch over the Flower of Life, worrying that it might be blown away by the wind or that an animal might approach and harm it.

‘How beautiful it is…….’

Doris stared blankly at the Flower of Life. Even in the midst of that, time seemed to be passing incredibly slowly.
30 minutes passed.
A small Bead of Life formed in the center of the Flower of Life.
The Bead of Life was emitting a faint rainbow light. Its appearance was closer to a jewel than a fruit. Doris inadvertently thought of an opal.

‘…Such a mistake. The Bead of Life is several times more beautiful than an opal….’

Doris swallowed hard. He wanted to put that bead in his mouth right away. According to the boss, it would melt and be absorbed into the body the moment it was put in the mouth.

‘I must be patient.’

If he took out the Bead of Life now, the Flower of Life would wither. If he waited a little longer, he could get three more Beads of Life.
He would not do something stupid, blinded by the immediate gain and missing the opportunity to gain a greater benefit.

Rustle!

He heard a sound. Doris, who had been staring blankly at the Flower of Life, was startled and jumped up, shouting.

“Who’s there!”

Bang!

The answer that came back was a silver bullet. Startled, Doris instinctively used teleportation to hide behind a nearby tree.
Doris looked around the tree at the direction the silver bullet had come from.
There was a man holding a revolver in his hand.
It was Moon Ji-hyuk.