Chapter 244 – Chasing the Culprit

The 23rd floor of the Purple Tower.

Creak. Creak.

As Flamie’s massive roots moved and stretched in all directions,

Kieeeek!

Poison centipedes, whose territory was invaded, tried to attack Flamie’s roots.

But,

[Fire, burn.]

Hwaruruk.

Flamie used magic to cleanly burn the poison centipedes clinging to her roots,

Creak.

And stretched her roots again.

In that way, Flamie was stretching her roots while burning the poison centipedes.

[Oh?! There was a farm here too?]

Flamie discovered a farm on the 23rd floor of the Purple Tower.

Creak. Creak.

[Hello, guys. I am Flamie.]

As Flamie stretched her roots and greeted the plants of the farm,

[It hurts… Please… help… us.]

The plants of the farm, suffering from the surrounding toxic energy, requested help from Flamie.

[Alright! I will help you!]

Creak.

Flamie wrapped the farm with her roots to block the incoming toxic energy,

[Iyap!]

And purified the farm ground using the Purification Flame, the ability of her first leaf.

[Now… it does not… hurt… Thank you… Flamie-nim…]

The plants expressed gratitude to Flamie.

[We… will… follow… Flamie-nim… from now on.]

When the plants of the farm resolved to follow Flamie, who saved them from suffering,

Thud.

A rolled-up document fell in front of Flamie’s roots. It was the land deed of the 23rd floor of the Purple Tower.

[Thank you, guys. Hehet. I should keep it and give it to Master!]

Flamie put the land deed of the 23rd floor of the Purple Tower between her roots and continued to stretch her roots.

***

“Ah. I can’t eat anymore.”

While Se-jun, who ate fifty plates, held his belly and struggled,

Bip!

“The 4th preliminary round is over! Soon the 5th preliminary round will begin.”

Along with the host’s shout, the preliminary round ended.

And,

Kkueng? Kkueng!

[Is it already over? Cuengi wants to eat more!]

Cuengi did not leave his seat at the thought of eating more food. He seemed ready to participate in the next 5th preliminary round as well.

“Cuengi, let’s go get the ticket.”

Kkueng…

[Understood…]

Grab.

Reluctant to leave his seat at Se-jun’s call, Cuengi left his regret behind, trudged over, and clung to Se-jun’s leg.

As Se-jun went to receive the ticket with Cuengi like that,

“Oh! You are the one who ate 1,200 plates. Here is the finals ticket.”

Kkueng!

[Thank you!]

The staff member knelt in front of Cuengi, politely handed over the finals ticket, and then went to the other participants.

Since eating at least 100 plates was the cut-off line to advance to the finals, Se-jun was disqualified. Since his purpose was simply to try participating in the contest, he was not greatly disappointed.

“Let’s go.”

Kkuhehehe. Kkueng?

[Hehehe. Are we going to eat dinner now?]

Cuengi, who thought the words to go meant going to eat dinner, smiled beamingly.

As Se-jun returned to the place where the party was like that,

“Chairman Park! Are you okay, meow?! Cheer up, meow! I will give you a gift better than the prize, meow!”

Theo ran over and comforted Se-jun, who had failed in the preliminary round. Only with words.

Rub. Rub.

Theo rubbed his face against Se-jun’s lap intensely. Although he spoke words of comfort, it felt as if he was filling his own selfish desires even more intensely on this opportunity.

At that moment,

Kkueng! Kkueng!

[No! I do not need Big Brother’s gift!]

Cuengi, whose mood soured at Theo’s words, shouted.

“What do you mean, meow?!”

Kkueng! Kkueng!

[Cuengi will win the prize and give it to Dad! And Cuengi’s prize is better!]

This was the reason Cuengi’s mood soured. Cuengi had also been thinking of winning the prize and giving it to Se-jun.

However, when Theo said he would give a gift better than the prize, he felt hurt.

“Puhuhut. Are you challenging me, Vice President Theo, meow?! No matter how good the prize is, it cannot beat my front paw, meow!”

Theo stretched out his front paw and felt assured of his victory.

“Stop.”

Se-jun hurriedly stopped the two,

“Who told you to fight?! Huh?! This is a punishment. Boobooboop. Boobooboop.”

He lifted Theo and Cuengi and took turns blowing a raspberry on their bellies one by one.

“Puhuhu.”

Kkuhehehe.

Thanks to that, the atmosphere turned good.

“Let’s return quickly. Then, see you later.”

Se-jun said goodbye to the Bull Demon King and Urchi, and wrapped up the day by returning to White Castle with the animals.

Of course, Cuengi returned to the castle and ate dinner as usual. As if he had not eaten 1,200 plates.

***

The next morning.

Kkueng! Kkueng!

[It is morning! Cuengi is excited to eat food again!]

Cuengi, for whom eating was the happiest thing in the world. He was excited at the thought of eating as soon as he opened his eyes.

“Mmm… is it already morning?”

Thanks to that, Se-jun, who was sleeping while hugging Cuengi, also had no choice but to wake up,

Kkueng! Kkueng!

[That is right! Cuengi wants to go eat breakfast quickly!]

Cuengi stood Se-jun up and urged him.

“Understood. Still, I should wash my face before going out.”

The king’s uncle, in his own way. He could not go around looking messy. Se-jun quickly washed his face and went to the dining room.

Pyarorong…

As he arrived at the dining table, the Black Rabbit was seen dozing with his chin resting on his paw.

“Did things not go well yesterday?”

After leaving while eating lunch yesterday, the Black Rabbit did not return even in the evening.

At that moment,

Pyak? Pyak!

[Uncle, you are here? Bring breakfast!]

The Black Rabbit, who regained his senses, had breakfast brought out.

Kkuhehehe.

Cuengi, who ate excitedly when the food came out. Although the finals of the Food Fighter Selection would be held at lunch later, he did not care at all.

“Black Rabbit, by the way, what happened with yesterday’s case?”

As Se-jun finished eating breakfast to some extent, he asked the Black Rabbit,

Chwap. Chwap. Chwap.

“Meow…?”

Theo, who was eating the handmade Churu made by the chef of the Red Ribbon Kingdom, perked his ears up.

Pyak.

[That… we could not catch them, but only confirmed that the culprit is targeting the land deeds.]

“Land deeds?”

Pyak.

[Yes.]

“Then I will help you.”

Pyak?

[Uncle?]

“Yeah. They said the culprit is targeting the land deeds, right? Then, couldn’t I, who possesses land deeds, lure them?”

“Puhuhut. That is right, meow! This case will be handled by Great Detective Sherlock Se-jun and Assistant Theotson, meow!”

Theo, who was listening with perked ears, jumped up and shouted. ‘Puhuhut. It is time to show the teamwork of Chairman Park and me, Vice President Theo, meow!’

Pyak! Pyak…

[You cannot! The opponent is…]

Although the Black Rabbit tried to stop the two of them,

Kkueng!

[That is right! It cannot be done without Cuengi!]

When Theo tried to do something with Se-jun alone, excluding himself, Cuengi strongly objected.

And,

Kkueng! Kkueng?

[Dad, Cuengi also wants to play detective! What is Cuengi’s role?]

Cuengi looked at Se-jun with sparkling eyes, asking for a role as well.

“Mmm…”

Se-jun, who was troubled because of that, fell into deep thought for a moment. ‘Kku-jeon-il? No! Whenever he appears, a murder case always occurs.’ Se-jun immediately erased the name that popped up.

“Then…”

Se-jun pondered again.

At that moment,

“Ah!”

There was a name that popped up in Se-jun’s mind. The fact that he was originally large but also shrank was similar.

Moreover, since our Cuengi was also good at knocking others unconscious, there were many common points in various ways.

“Alright. Cuengi will be Great Detective Kkunan from now on.”

Kkuhehehe. Kkueng!

[Hehehe. Great Detective Kkunan, I like it!]

“Black Rabbit, you focus on the founding ceremony and the wedding. We will solve everything!”

Se-jun spoke big, trusting Theo and Cuengi.

Pyak! Pyak!

[Yes! Please do not overdo it!]

The Black Rabbit answered in an unreliable voice, while sending a sign with his paw to the escort guard protecting Se-jun to never let him do anything dangerous.

In that way, Se-jun, Theo, and Cuengi set out to handle the murder case of the Red Ribbon Kingdom. Secret Agent Golden Bat too.

***

“First, let’s go to the scene of the incident and find clues!”

Se-jun, who received the authority to investigate from the Black Rabbit, visited the scene of the incident with the animals.

But,

“There is nothing…”

Just as the Black Rabbit said, the culprit did not leave any traces.

As they looked around the scene of the incident like that,

Kkueng!

[Cuengi found a clue!]

“A clue? What clue?”

Kkueng!

[At the scene of the incident, it smells completely unappetizing!]

“An unappetizing smell?”

Cuengi, who was sensitive to smells, discovered a clue. It was the smell of the chemical Reto had used to eliminate the corpses.

Kkueng! Kkueng!

[That is right! Cuengi will follow the unappetizing smell and catch the culprit!]

Sniff. Sniff.

Cuengi spoke confidently and pursued the culprit while sniffing the scent. ‘From now on, it is the activity of Great Detective Kkunan!’

Sniff. Sniff.

Cuengi was tracking the scent like that.

“Huh?! Isn’t this a place selling fried carrots?”

Cuengi guided Se-jun to a fried carrot shop.

Kkuhehehe. Kkueng…

[Hehehe. I am sorry. Because a good smell came out, without realizing it…]

Cuengi scratched his head, as if he himself felt embarrassed. Cuengi, who caught the delicious smell midway, instinctively followed the delicious smell.

“Please give me five bags of that.”

Se-jun bought the fried carrots first,

“Let’s eat and move.”

Kkueng!

[I like it!]

Crunch. Crunch.

He took a short break while eating fried carrots with Cuengi. It was a taste and smell that Cuengi would be drawn to.

At that moment,

Sniff. Sniff.

Kkueng!

[It is the unappetizing smell!]

Cuengi, who was checking the fried carrots, caught the culprit’s scent.

And,

Kkueng!

[Over there!]

He pointed at a being covering its face with a gray hood.

“Golden Bat, track him from the air!”

(Yes! Leave it to me!)

The Golden Bat, who was clinging to Se-jun’s back, hurriedly flew off.

“Let’s go too!”

Kkueng!

[Just follow me!]

Dadada.

Cuengi hurriedly took the lead and ran.

But,

Kkueng!

[There are too many smells here!]

Cuengi, who was tracking the scent, lost his direction. Because the place they arrived at was in the middle of preparation for the finals of the Food Fighter Selection.

Due to the smells created by many workers installing equipment for the stage setup, to the smells of food being cooked in the outdoor kitchen, the surrounding smells were too strong, masking the culprit’s scent.

“It is okay. The Golden Bat is tracking well… Huh?!”

Se-jun, who was telling Cuengi it was okay, spotted the Golden Bat returning listlessly. The Golden Bat had also lost the culprit.

“Puhuhut. As expected, Great Detective Sherlock Se-jun and Assistant Theotson must step forward, meow! Follow me, meow!”

Theo, who was clinging to Se-jun’s leg, confidently raised his front paw, pointed forward, and glanced at Se-jun. ‘Chairman Park, it is time for us to active, meow!’

“……?”

-Why are you looking at me?

-Tactless Chairman Park! Go quickly to where I tell you to go, meow!

-OK

A conversation passed through each other’s gazes.

“Let’s go.”

Se-jun moved with the animals toward the direction Theo was pointing.

However, as Theo stepped forward so confidently, there was something Se-jun overlooked. That Theo’s front paw had absolutely nothing to do with tracking the culprit.

Theo’s front paw was merely specialized in finding items that would benefit Se-jun.

***

“What is it?”

Reto, who felt like something was tracking him, hurriedly took off his hood and headed toward the place where the target was.

“This is the last time.”

Since the target this time was a big shot, he intended to disappear immediately after collecting the land deed.

In that way, Reto approached the place where the target was. It was behind the scene where the stage of the Food Fighter Selection was being built.

“I came to relieve you.”

Reto spoke to the soldiers guarding the giant tent.

“Bazark, what about Luda?”

“Luda? Luda suddenly said his stomach hurt, so I came first for relief.”

“Really?! But Luda refers to Bazark’s weapon… Who are you?!”

“Die!”

As his disguise was exposed, Reto immediately threw poisoned daggers at the soldiers.

Stab. Stab.

“Keugh…”

“Grug…”

The soldiers stabbed by the daggers collapsed with painful expressions.

And,

Step. Step.

Reto quietly entered the tent.

Clatter.

“Who… who are you?”

The target dropped the snack he was eating and asked in a terrified voice.

At that moment,

“Chairman Park, it is here… meow?!”

“Huh?! These guys seem to be poisoned?!”

Se-jun’s and Theo’s voices were heard from outside the tent, and

Kquiiik!!!

Great Merchant Yuren, Reto’s target, shouted with all his might to request help.