Chapter 68: |
Appearing here using Transference was my plan from the very beginning.
My plan was to appear around the time Cheon Myeong-guk met Yoo Seong-soo, clean up Yoo Sung-soo and his subordinates, and take over Busan City.
If the higher-ups disappeared, those who followed them would naturally struggle.
However, they suddenly said they would broadcast a final debate or something, so I decided to watch a bit more.
I didn’t feel it was worth watching for more than a few minutes, though.
In fact, I have an allergy to nonsense, and I have a habit of cutting down those who spout it. I killed Kwak Do-woon, who was loudly blabbering at the forefront, because of that.
He used to be a renowned hunter affiliated with the Whale Guild in the past, earning a name in Busan. But now, he’s just a nonsensical guy.
Well, both people and hunters have to relentlessly clash in a competitive environment to grow. In that regard, despite all the talk about Yoo Sung-soo being dangerous, Busan is a peaceful city.
I turned my gaze away from the flesh and blood that was Kwak Do-woon and focused on the next target.
“Why, why?”
A middle-aged woman in her mid-50s looks here with a terrified expression.
But her embezzled money was no joke, right?
“Over the past 10 years, they’ve allocated 22.9 billion won, but the actual money used is only 5.8 billion won, right? Where did the remaining money go?”
“……”
Nam Soon-ok remained silent. The document I was looking at stated that 17.1 billion won flowed into the pockets of the mayor and his associates.
But she didn’t answer. What did silence mean? It’s an admission. So Nam Soon-ok was an accomplice who embezzled 6.1 billion won and was involved with villains, making her a villain as well.
And I killed villains.
“I told you what would happen if you didn’t answer, but you still ignored me like this.”
“Wait, just a moment…!”
Nm Soon-ok tried to speak up, but it was already too late. I swung Nuri faster.
Nam Soon-ok, entangled in Blade Storm, was torn apart just like Kwak Do-woon earlier.
The council members were shocked, as if they didn’t expect that I wouldn’t spare her.
Lately, I had been feeling this more and more. Many people thought they wouldn’t die even when they’re faced with me.
“Kill that bastard! Kill him!”
When two councilors died, I heard Yoo Sung-soo cursing.
I clicked my tongue as I looked at the crowd entering the council room. I didn’t know if they were hunters or villains.
Still, if they’re hunters, they should pay attention to their dignity, so these guys get a failing grade. What would the citizens of Busan think when they watched this on TV? That’s why these villainous guys couldn’t make it in life.
I swung Nuri and swept away the villains gathered at the entrance, then crushed the heads of those who approached with Land Mines.
“Arrgh!”
“Pl-please…”
Seeing the council room turn blood-red from the carnage, it finally felt like war.
The villains’ steps slowed as they saw the swarms of people killed by Blade Storm and crushed to death by Land Mines.
Yoo Sung-soo became even angrier at this sight.
“I said kill him! Can’t you hear me?”
“…..”
However, the villains who locked eyes with me turned their heads away in a hurry. Even if they were foolish villains, they knew that their own lives were important.
I swung Nuri and cleared the six bodies piled up at the entrance of the council room. Then I drew a long line with Force and warned them.
“If you cross this line, I’ll kill you all, so act accordingly.”
The villains, in terror, retreated.
I turned to Yoo Sung-soo.
“You were supposed to be next, but since you’re the main dish, I’ll forgive you. But don’t push your luck. If you say one more word, I’ll tear your mouth apart. Got it?”
“……”
Yoo Sung-soo’s mouth, which had been spouting curses until now, closed as if it were a lie.
I continued my amusing game alone.
Two council members who had embezzled money didn’t answer in time, so they were out of the game. In other words, they died. One of them openly launched a surprise attack, so I smashed his head. Meanwhile, I tore apart all the villains who had infiltrated the council room.
“Next is you.”
“Eeekk!”
Four council members had already died, and the next target, another council member, panicked. Rolling his eyes, he said to me.
“Can I really survive if I tell you everything?”
“Hmm.”
“Then, I’ll tell you everything! Please spare me!”
“Kang Seong-cheol!”
The panicked Yoo Sung-soo shouted, but Kang Seong-cheol raised his voice even more.
“Shut up! After feeding your own belly for so long, now you dare to make noise? Saying you’ll build a kingdom? Claiming you have enough power? Enough my foot! Pfft! Heh, heh! I’ll tell you everything I know. Just spare my life.”
“Fine. You seem to have the qualification to be the only survivor in this game.”
I asked Kang Seong-cheol about the 18.7 billion won related to him, and he explained it sincerely.
They had earned a lot.
That was my impression. They didn’t eat alone but formed a solid cartel and made a profit. They spent the nation’s money as if it were their own.
“So, you took 2 billion won, didn’t you?”
“Ha, ha, ha! Yes, but I didn’t eat it all. I have partners to grease the wheels and share it with, and of course I have to pay the top.”
“Spit it all out.”
“Yes? Well, but…”
A trace of regret appeared on Kang Seong-cheol’s face.
Still, wasn’t life more important than money?
Did he really think that a few words could save his life?
If he didn’t like it, he could take that money and go to the afterlife.
“No answer, huh.”
“I’ll spit it all out for a moment.”
“It’s too late.”
“Ugh, ugh!”
Swish!
Caught in the Blade Storm, Kang Seong-cheol was torn to shreds.
May he spend all that money in the afterlife.
***
“…”
Yoo Sung-soo couldn’t believe the current situation.
At first, everything went according to plan.
Bringing Cheon Myeong-guk to the city council and fueling resentment against the government’s neglect of Busan had been a success. Cheon Myeong-guk, who had a calm and non-confrontational personality, wouldn’t escalate things further.
In fact, things went as expected.
Busan had always been a safe city from monsters.
The Korean Strait was not suitable for marine monsters, and Japan and Busan could easily trade since their needs differed, reaping substantial profits for both.
However, they agitated the citizens by claiming that Busan was under threat, and that the government wasn’t fulfilling its role in protecting them from monsters.
It sowed a sense of unease in people’s hearts, making them feel discriminated against. This turned into anger and hatred, becoming a fervent support for himself as the mayor of Busan.
“Everything was going perfectly…”
The plans that had been successful were turned upside down with the appearance of Choi Jun-ho.
First, his close aides, city council members, died. The Awakened, who had been paid to prepare for this eventuality, were also helpless.
He had thought that with them by his side, he could take control of South Korea right away, but he now realized how foolish that notion was.
Could one Transcendent be this powerful? Was all that he had built over more than ten years being shattered by just one Transcendent?
Even as he watched with his own two eyes, he couldn’t believe it.
Only then did he understand why the government had come out so strongly.
He wondered why someone as weak as Jeon Han-cheol acted this way. If there’s a human weapon like that, even he would have immediately wiped out the Blue House and taken control of Seoul.
“I will tell you everything!”
The worst thing was the emergence of internal traitors. Yoo Sung-soo had tried to stop Kang Seong-cheol, but that guy had willingly spilled everything he was involved in to Choi Jun-ho.
Ironically, he refused to give back the money he had embezzled and died.
It felt as though everyone’s lives were inconsequential in front of Choi Jun-ho.
Whether it was his own life or the life of a mere villain.
“……”
All of these events were being broadcasted throughout Busan.
It was over.
Yoo Sung-soo closed his eyes, feeling everything he had built crumbling.
If Kim Yong-hwan was here instead, it might have been possible to negotiate by offering a few privileges. He’s a greedy bastard who could be swayed by granting him some benefits.
No, could the Red Snake even wield such power?
Was that really a Level 8 Transcendent?
What made him so strong compared to a Level 7?
He could see why the League had warned him about Choi Jun-ho and why his subordinates had emphasized the other being a Transcendent.
It’s too late to realize that now though.
As thoughts continued to swirl in his mind, Choi Jun-ho’s gaze turned to this place. In the meantime, all the other councilors had met their end.
“Are you going to kill me?”
If it’s this guy, he wouldn’t hesitate to kill him. He didn’t want to die like this. Even if he got caught, he had to survive. If he could make it to Seoul and stand before a judge, he could live.
“I won’t kill you. One shouldn’t kill the main dish that easily.”
“Yes, I see.”
He was a guy who knew how to read the situation. With this, negotiations became possible. Even if it was humiliating, survival was the top priority.
It was when Yoo Sung-soo was relieved that he had escaped from the monster’s grasp…
“Instead, you’ll wish you had died here.”
“What?”
“Did you talk a lot of trash behind my back, saying I can’t hunt Nuri?”
That was the last thing he remembered. He felt a hand on his head, then a warm sensation and his memory was cut off.
***
“Oh, right.”
After using brainwashing to extract information from Yoo Sung-soo, I turned my gaze to the camera director.
“Was it being broadcast?”
“Sorry, I’m so sorry! It’s all because of my greed…”
The panicked camera director begged for mercy.
“Did you embezzle money with them?”
“No, no!”
“Then why are you begging for your life? Oh, because of the broadcast?”
I was one of the people who was watching the broadcast before I barged in here.
I felt it as I watched, but the camera angles were amazing. They used close-ups on Kwak Do-woon and focused on Cheon Myeon-gguk to the point where I unconsciously used Transference.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, please don’t kill me.”
“I won’t kill you.”
“R-really?”
“I never said I was going to kill you in the first place.”
“Oh, I see! I’m sorry. What I saw today was so shocking…”
Finally, the atmosphere for conversation was established.
“By the way, someone died, but did you label it as 19+?”
“I’ll, I’ll do it now.”
“It’s already over.”
“I’ll, I’ll turn it off now.”
“Okay.”
Unintentionally, they had broadcasted a person’s death for everyone to see.
I reprimanded the camera director and approached Cheon Myeong-guk, who was unharmed. I also caught Yoo Sung-soo. It seemed I had perfectly fulfilled the President’s request.
The game that was only fun for me had now ended.
“Thank you for your hard work.”
“…I only protected myself. Thank you for helping me.”
“You’re lucky to be alive at all.”
“……”
Looking at the bitterly smiling Cheon Myeong-guk, I patted him on the shoulder.
“Now, it’s time to call for reinforcements.”
I said as I lightly tapped his shoulder.
While the National Security Agency, led by Jung Ju-ho, was on its way, I moved around Busan with Cheon Myeong-guk. Every time we encountered villains who tried to obstruct us, I eliminated them, especially those trying to escape to Japan, and I captured all the ships they were trying to take.
It was certainly overwhelming to do it all alone.
However, as the National Security Agency and government-affiliated hunting teams and the military entered the scene, my workload began to decrease.
The first thing they did was to suppress the Awakened forces and the military, which had been loyal to Yoo Sung-soo. I accompanied them and easily took control by beheading the commanders and generals.
“I’ll definitely get promoted once we successfully complete this mission. But I can’t mess this up either. It’s driving me crazy!”
When we returned to Busan City Hall, Jung Ju-ho was muttering with an anxious expression.
However, there was no flaw in his command. He knew exactly when to give orders.
“Isn’t that a good thing?”
“It’s not for me. I don’t want to get promoted!”
“Good things are good.”
“Not for me!”
While Jung Ju-ho was complaining, Jung Da-hyun, who was standing next to him, was smiling brightly.
Her performance today was outstanding as well. She easily took care of several villains and cut off the arms of twenty villains armed with firearms.
When they heard that the Menacing Woman appeared in Busan, more than a few hundred villains surrendered. The scale of it surprised me.
Her skill had also reached the point of perfection, and it wouldn’t be surprising if she reached Level 7 at some point.
“You’ve been through a lot.”
“Yes, you’ve been through a lot too, Oppa.”
“What, I only killed the ones I had to.”
“Are you flirting in front of someone who’s about to die of a headache?”
Jung Ju-ho interjected with an irritated expression. He had been hysterical for a while.
I should give him some space.
“Now that the situation seems to have stabilized, I’ll take Da-hyun with me.”
“Where to?”
“To level her up.”
“What?”
“If they supported the Japanese League, there must be League forces here as well, right?”
“…Right, I forgot about the league. I can’t believe I forgot about it. Does that mean I’m not qualified for a promotion? Oh, I should admit my mistake right away!”
Jung Juho smiled and looked distressed, so I consoled him.
“I knew you’d think that way, so I caught them all. Don’t worry.”
“What? When?”
“Before the arrival of the National Security Agency.”
“Are you even human?”
“I’ll take care of the rest and come back. Congratulations on your promotion.”
“Congratulations on your promotion, Director.”
“Uuaaah!”
I and Jung Da-hyun left the Busan City Hall, leaving Jung Ju-ho’s screams behind.
***
“You can reach Level 7 anytime if a trigger is provided.”
Listening to Choi Jun-ho’s words, Jung Da-hyun nodded with satisfaction.
The idea that she was ready to reach Level 7 felt good.
Even though everyone worked hard, not everyone could reach Level 7. She was called a genius herself, and she trained hard, but she might not be able to reach that level.
But with Choi Jun-ho’s help, she realized that she was improving exponentially.
“The most important thing is to keep it in your memory.”
“What should I keep in my memory?”
“The difference between you right now and a Level 7.”
Choi Jun-ho advised that the key was to pinpoint and understand in detail what that difference was and how to make use of it.
While they were having this conversation, they arrived at the outskirts of Busan. They soon reached a place with few people, a warehouse.
Seeing the tragedy that unfolded there, Jung Da-hyun’s expression hardened.
“……”
“They’re all dead.”
Choi Jun-ho’s calm voice echoed.
It was a gruesome sight. More than thirty people were torn to shreds.
In the center of the corpses sat a man. He was in his early forties with a height of over 2 meters and bulging muscles like balloons.
Jung Da-hyun recognized his identity at a glance.
“White Shark Arai.”
He was a villain from Japan’s Sumo Yokozuna, who could wield the strength of a hundred strong men.
He must be in Busan without anyone knowing that he joined the League.
Choi Jun-ho seemed to not recognize him.
“That guy is Level 7.”
“Yes.”
Arai alternated his gaze between Jung Da-hyun and Choi Jun-ho, then let out a deep sigh.
“Head Breaker, huh. Is it too late to escape now?”
No matter how notorious a Level 7 might be, Choi Jun-ho could make them lose hope.
He was truly formidable.
“You’re going to face that guy.”
Was he asking her to confront White Shark Arai?
Arai was a notorious Level 7 villain. Could she really take on someone like that?
In the past, she could never have beaten the other. She would have sensed her impending defeat and given up before the duel even began.
But not now.
She could do it. Choi Jun-ho must have said this because he believed she could do it.
“I’ll give it a try.”
“Good.”
As she steeled herself, she could feel Arai’s gaze.
He was eavesdropping on their conversation, clearly understanding Korean.
“It gives me hope.”
His calm pupils turned towards her. She felt a strong vitality deeply embedded in his gaze. There was a feeling of strength emanating from that gaze alone.
Arai looked at Choi Jun-ho and asked, “If I win, will you let me go?”
“Yes.”
“Hope is there. I thought I would die not being able to do anything. Well, I won’t resist.”
Then his gaze shifted in her direction.
“I don’t feel sorry for you. Blame the one who pushed you into this situation.”
He believed he would win.
Naturally, it’s a given. Even if you asked someone else, they would bet on Arai’s victory. But she would not easily lose. Choi Jun-ho must have judged that she could win when he asked her to fight this guy.
When she was about to step forward, determined not to lose, Choi Jun-ho blocked the way.
“What are you doing, not moving back?”
“What?”
“…”
Both Jung Da-hyun and, of course, Arai, had puzzled expressions.
He should be the one moving aside. It was incomprehensible that he suddenly blocked the way and said those words.
What was Choi Jun-ho thinking?
“That guy, watch how I deal with him. It’ll be a lesson for you.”
…Wasn’t she the one who was supposed to confront the other?
Could she have been mistaken?
Jung Da-hyun realized that she was having her own misconception, but she couldn’t say anything when she saw Arai’s stunned expression.
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