The Crown Prince Who Raises Alt Characters

#Chapter 324 Boss Quan (5) - The Proper Way to Deal with Fraud Click-clack, click-clack. Click-clack, click-clack. Every time the heels of the designer boots stepped on the tile floor, the sound seemed to stretch out long or split into multiple sounds. As if some unidentifiable something was clinging close and mimicking the footsteps. Though the electricity had surely been cut off long ago, the corridor lights flickered on and off imperfectly, and each time the lights blinked, ominous shadows appeared and disappeared throughout the field of vision. Sticky blood filling the floor. A patient glaring from inside the ward, a worker wandering here and there with a caved-in head. The smell of rotting corpses that ordinary people would never encounter reached her nose, and the thick taste of blood lingered on her tongue despite not having eaten anything. Psychic phenomena that would make ordinary people flee in terror immediately. "Trivial." But to Qiana, it didn't matter at all. Perhaps displeased with her confidently striding through the corridor without hesitation, an evil spirit with no lower body that was crawling with just its upper body while dragging its entrails like a long tail approached quickly and tried to snatch Qiana's ankle. And the next moment, Qiana stepped on its wrist with her shoe heel without hesitation. CRACK. The evil spirit's wrist, which should have been in spirit form, broke with a physical snapping sound. The evil spirit screamed and writhed its entire body trying to pull its hand free, but Qiana's body didn't even budge. When Qiana extended her finger toward the evil spirit struggling on the floor, her finger transformed into a long awl and pierced through the evil spirit. The head, heart, and three others. The evil spirit with a total of five holes shuddered and went limp, and Qiana absorbed the evil spirit as it was. Whether this hospital was originally an abnormal place or had transformed that way by feeding on all sorts of rumors and fears, everywhere was filled with all kinds of bizarre evil spirits. A nurse whose face was covered in burn scars, a patient who wasn't receiving medicine through an IV but was instead having blood drained, a doctor with all sorts of surgical tools dangling from his gown. Some of them noticed Qiana's threat and fled, while others attacked recklessly filled with anger and resentment, but the outcome was the same. They were simply chopped up, crushed, turned to powder, and absorbed by Qiana. In terms of time, about 30 minutes. Feeling mild irritation that searching for evil spirits by physically wandering around every corner of the hospital took longer than the actual combat, Qiana returned to the front entrance of the hospital once again. "I'm done." The men including the X-scarred man stared at her blankly with dumbfounded expressions. Her dark navy blouse didn't even have noticeable stains, let alone wrinkles, and there wasn't a single drop of sweat on her forehead. She looked like she could start shopping at a department store with VIP treatment at any moment. But the hospital's state, with all the ominous aura from before completely gone and filled only with silence, clearly proved how perfectly the beauty before them had finished the job. When Qiana frowned at the lack of response, only then did the X-scarred man clear his throat and nod. "Ahem, right. Good work. Any injuries?" "Do I look injured?" "Doesn't look like it. But from next time, don't act on your own initiative." Qiana was about to argue about who he was to order her around but just shut her mouth instead. Taking control over the humans in front of her was no big deal, but if they went and tattled to Quan, that would be troublesome in its own way. When Qiana nodded appropriately in agreement, the men's shoulders, which had seemed slightly tense, relaxed. Wondering how the great Queen of anomalies had ended up having to humor these guys, Qiana clicked her tongue inwardly. *** "Huh, you finished it smoothly without any problems? That's strange. Usually at times like this, the evil spirits would suddenly rampage and mutate into a giant evil spirit, or you'd run into another organization that received the same exorcism request and your identity would be exposed, or you'd rescue some mysterious child trapped in a hidden laboratory - that would be the cliché. Such a boring quest completion. You should reflect on this." Thinking about it again, humoring the subordinates seemed saintly by comparison. At least compared to dealing with this boss who seemed inhuman in both skill and personality. "If you have complaints, tell them to the inadequate enemies. Don't lecture me." "I was joking, why are you being so serious and contemplative? You don't have friends, do you?" "I definitely have more than you do." "Come on, no matter what, there's no way I'd have fewer friends than an anomaly." Quan smiled leisurely, and Qiana silently showed her messenger app. [Friends List: 2,412 people] [Unread Messages: 999+] [Group Chats: 47] "Well, having a lot on your list doesn't necessarily mean you have many friends..." Qiana showed the message contents. [Hansung Group Choi Jihoon: Qiana, I'm launching my new yacht this weekend, want to come? If you don't come I'll cancel the party ㅠㅠ] [Lee Yuri (Model): Sister! I finally got that limited edition bag I mentioned! When should we meet? I'll buy dinner!] [Silaone VVIP Social Group (45): Is everyone coming to the lounge today? If Qiana doesn't come, I won't go either. Please just show your face.] Quan was silent for a moment, and Qiana waved her phone screen with a triumphant expression. It hadn't even been a year since Qiana became aware of her past life, and before that she had lived as the perfect daughter who met all her parents' expectations. A social butterfly among social butterflies, possessing beauty, wealth, and brains. Of course, there wasn't even a gram of sincerity mixed into her relationships with them - it was perfect showwindow networking, but numbers are numbers and facts are facts, right? Quan alternately looked at the screen flooded with blatant flattery and overwhelming messages, then at Qiana's triumphant face, before grinding out his cigarette in the ashtray. "It's not true friendship though." "Pfft." "Damn, that didn't work. Well, emotional exchange isn't necessarily a prerequisite for friendship." Quan obediently raised both hands in surrender, and this gave Qiana a strange sense of satisfaction. "So? What's the next quest?" "Why are you so eager?" "You said you'd make me stronger. It's a job without pay, so if I don't work, I'm just meaninglessly wasting time." "That's true." It was just as Quan was reaching for a new document envelope. Knock, knock. A polite knock. "Come in." The office door opened, and different burly men from the X-scarred group who had served as Qiana's drivers earlier came in carrying a large travel trunk. Their attitude toward Quan felt quite cautious, but at the same time there was also a sense of triumphant pride, as if they were showing off something. "Boss. The A-dong building you entrusted to us before. We completed the deal and brought the payment." Quan's eyes turned to the trunk. "That's the 'payment'?" "Yes. They said they'd pay all in cash if we could give them a small discount. Considering taxes, it was actually beneficial for us too, so we accepted." As if boasting about his achievement, the subordinate boldly unzipped the trunk. Inside were bundles of 50,000 won bills packed tightly without gaps. Even at a rough glance, it looked like an enormous pile of money that easily exceeded billions. It was a sight that would have made ordinary gangsters cheer with joy, but Quan just stared down at the money bundles impassively. Qiana also watched the scene listlessly with her chin propped on the sofa. To her eyes, the sight of the burly men proudly presenting it was more amusing than the money itself. When the subordinates began to nervously gauge the atmosphere, realizing their boss's reaction was more lukewarm than they had expected. Quan picked up one bundle of bills from the trunk. Then he removed the cigarette from his mouth and pressed the glowing red tip firmly into the center of the bill bundle. "Bo, Boss?! What are you doing right now...!" "It's catching fire, Boss! The money is burning!" As millions of won worth of bills burned away, the horrified men rushed in frantically trying to stop it. But Quan simply dropped the smoking bundle of money onto the floor. The flames seemed to engulf the bills and spread rapidly, but soon a strange phenomenon occurred. It wasn't the acrid chemical smell of special ink and paper burning. A nutty, musty smell like when burning fallen leaves in the mountains in late autumn filled the office. The blue 50,000 won bills began to distort from where the flames touched, transforming into rustling dry leaves. "Huh...?" Someone made a dumbfounded sound. When the leaves finally burned completely to ash, the subordinates rubbed their eyes as if doubting what they had just seen. "What, thinking you might have seen wrong since both money and leaves turn to ash when burned? Then watch again." Quan lit another bundle of bills with his cigarette, and this time stomped it out with his shoe before it completely turned to ash. When Quan lifted his shoe, half-burned leaves that had stopped burning were revealed beneath his sole. Qiana, who had been watching with her legs crossed and chin propped, spoke up. "Illusion magic... no, transformation magic? Either way, it would be exposed immediately with proper investigation. That damn Anomaly Slayer made all those types weak." "If they had investigated properly, yes. It's like hidden picture puzzles - if you don't know there's a hidden picture in the first place, you won't even think to look for it." Finally realizing what mistake they had made, the subordinates' faces turned pale in an instant. "Jangho!" At Quan's call, the X-scarred man who had been waiting outside came in immediately. "Yes, boss." "These guys brought back leaves thinking they were money. The rookie and I will catch the ones who scammed us, so you discipline the boys. You know my way, right?" "Yes. I'll do it just enough so they can come out fine tomorrow." "Good, do well. Rookie. You come with me." Qiana got up from the sofa and followed behind Quan, and as soon as the office door closed, some crashing sounds burst out from inside. "Isn't the level of your employees a bit too low? It seems like keeping them around would just be a hindrance." "It's because they haven't been properly working in this industry for long. But they're still mid-level at least." "This is mid-level?" "Your original self is the cause. You smashed the heads of all the prominent organizations except for the management bureau." "Ah," Qiana nodded in understanding. The Queen had deliberately smashed human society - specifically the anomaly experts like espers and agents - just 20 years ago. "Originally there were quite formidable groups like priestess associations and esper federations, but most of the core personnel were wiped out and technologies were largely lost. You could say human-side capabilities themselves were leveled down." "What about the management bureau?" "They're already struggling just to maintain the stability and order of outside society against anomalies. In the old days, they would have intervened immediately upon recognizing something like the abandoned hospital you resolved as a psychic phenomenon. Well, that said, it's not that they 'lack power' but just that they're too busy to pretend not to see, so if you make too much of a commotion, it's immediately game over." After arriving at the parking garage, Quan nonchalantly got into his car. Compared to Qiana's ultra-expensive foreign car, it was an old, crude sedan that was far short even in the number of zeros on its price tag. But the angular body painted in matte black and the heavy frame exuded a hard-boiled romanticism. When he started the engine, a low, rough exhaust sound like a beast's growling - completely different from the smooth operation sounds of modern electric cars - echoed through the parking garage. Qiana, who got into the passenger seat, stared intently at Quan's profile as he gripped the steering wheel instead of fastening her seatbelt. The sight of him leisurely gripping the wheel with one hand while casually smoking with his arm resting on the half-open window frame. '...If it's now.' Suddenly, a chilling murderous intent flashed through Qiana's silver eyes. Zero distance. The target was focused on driving while watching ahead. If she sharpened her right arm like a blade and pierced through that defenseless exposed nape in one strike? In such a cramped car interior, even Quan wouldn't have space to utilize his characteristic mobility and evasion. However, Qiana, who had run dozens of simulations in her head, soon clicked her tongue softly and withdrew her killing intent. 'No good. There are no openings.' Quan's posture, which appeared infinitely relaxed on the surface, was conversely a perfect relaxed state that allowed for immediate counterattack no matter when or from which direction an attack came. His sharp gaze constantly moving between the rearview and side mirrors, the steady tension in his foot on the accelerator, even the timing of inhaling and exhaling cigarette smoke was cleverly off-beat with Qiana's breathing cycle, making it impossible to find timing for a surprise attack. 'What a monster of a human. What exactly is his identity?' As Qiana grumbled inwardly and turned her gaze to the window, Quan's laughter could be heard. "Now you can see the angles before attacking? You've grown." "...What a nasty-tempered human." The car headed not toward back alleys or old streets of the old downtown, but to the middle of a main street lined with fancy office towers. The place where Quan's sedan smoothly stopped was in front of a luxurious mid-sized building decorated with smooth plate glass. At the entrance, a marble-carved fountain was spouting water, and a gold-plated sign reading [Cheongrim Asset Management and Real Estate Consulting] in refined lettering was prominently mounted. The automatic doors opened smoothly, and the two entered the first-floor lobby where cool air conditioning was flowing. Soft classical music, gentle chandelier lighting reflecting off the marble floor. It was a perfectly set corporate appearance that would make one embarrassed to even compare it to their shabby 5-story office. A neatly suited male employee waiting at the information desk in the center of the lobby spotted the two and approached with a friendly smile. "Welcome, customers. This is Cheongrim Asset Management. Did you make an appointment with someone in charge?" A perfect business smile with not a single flaw. But instead of responding to that smile, Quan stuck his hands in his pockets and tilted his chin up. "I didn't make an appointment. Tell your president to come out." A blatantly confrontational, thuggish tone. An ordinary office worker would have been flustered or shown displeasure, but the man didn't bat an eye and smiled even more gently. "I'm sorry, but the president is currently in an important meeting. Without a prior appointment, a face-to-face meeting is difficult. If you leave your contact information and business at the front desk, we'll have the relevant department contact you." It was a rejection so smooth it seemed mechanical. "In a meeting, huh. Well, someone who's a president would be busy." Quan nodded at the man's words and let out a sly chuckle. The smile hanging on the man's lips grew even deeper. "Thank you for understanding. Then I'll escort you this way—" BANG—!! In the quiet lobby where classical music had been playing, a deafening gunshot echoed through the air. The man who was shot in the thigh let out a piercing scream. Watching as something like coarse fur began to grow on his skin, Quan stepped on his thigh with his shoe heel and said. "Then tell him he doesn't need to come. I'll go to him." Amidst the surrounding gazes filled with shock, Qiana thought. 'If you're going to do this, at least wear a mask, you bastard.'