Ch.156The End of Revenge – 2

As Sujin Hyun’s investigation progressed, she realized her concerns were not unfounded.

Whoever was pulling the strings was hiding so well, throwing all kinds of interference her way.

“This person is from this organization, so this could become a problem,” or “That person is from that place, so isn’t this inappropriate?”

“If you keep doing this, you might face disadvantages. People around you might distance themselves.”

My thoughts while hearing these words? Fucking bastards. Should I just report everything to Rina Lee?

At times like this, I was truly thankful for not having any family.

If I had family, they would have used them as targets for blackmail and negotiation.

I suddenly understood why some superpower users turned to the path of villainy.

But this time would be different. The situation was completely unlike Sujin Hyun’s case.

“Reveal the truth about unethical research and experiments!”

“Citizens have the right to know! Guarantee the safety of the people!”

“We absolutely oppose experiments that could bring destruction!”

During Sujin Hyun’s time, they said they couldn’t do anything because all evidence was perfectly eliminated, right?

They probably thought they could do something similar this time since there was no evidence left except for the facility.

But what can they do now? Despite my appearance, I’ve actually had quite a lot of interaction with citizens on the front lines.

I wasn’t like those trash who bully low-ranking officials and just take money.

People keep quiet when they’re told they’ll receive indirect benefits.

Conversely, they rise up immediately when told they’ll suffer direct harm.

An S-grade gate suddenly appeared in Changwon because of the research facility’s experiments.

As a result, dozens of lower-grade gates appeared simultaneously.

Changwon city could have turned into a massacre site!

The important thing here isn’t that the experiment was unethical or that it disrespected the sacrifices of superpower users.

It’s that the experiment induced gate appearances. And that it was an S-grade gate.

Truth or falsehood? That doesn’t matter. If they’re trying to manipulate things first, why should we play nice?

‘I understand why Sujin Hyun quit everything and became The Elder, you bastards.’

Moreover, our weapons aren’t just public opinion.

That alone isn’t enough. To drag out those hiding within power structures.

Now I have everyone beside me who can physically drag them out.

[First-generation hero Minseong Kang expressed that this directly denies all the efforts and sacrifices of superpower users who have fought until now. If there isn’t severe punishment…]

[The reaction within clans isn’t good either. If replacements for superpower users are created, they would all suddenly lose their positions…]

With the mass media joining in to systematically criticize them, they won’t be able to hold out much longer.

On top of that, superpower users are feeling anxious and angry, even considering the “strike” card.

Of course, a strike by superpower users would be truly disastrous, so everyone is hesitating.

But if they choose that card, the entire world could be paralyzed.

“Just try it. Then we’ll just, fuck it, all become The Elder.”

Finally, S-grade users led by Jiyoon Han also took action.

To find out that the person they believed to be a traitor was actually framed.

It wasn’t just an insult to Sujin Hyun, but to themselves as well.

Like this, from all directions, all kinds of people started to poke at them.

What happens next is that those desperate to survive start to struggle.

Some make absurd statements, get criticized, and then cower in submission.

Others try to survive by pointing fingers at those still hiding.

It becomes a kind of hot potato game. Everyone wants to avoid being labeled as the mastermind.

As a result, even those who were hiding well end up exposing themselves.

We end up identifying all involved parties without having to search hard.

“The world is in chaos.”

Minseong Kang, who came to see me, gave me more detailed information about the outside situation.

He said the political sphere was undergoing a complete overhaul because of this incident.

If they kept these people in their parties at times like this, they would sink together.

Rather than that, they quickly expelled them to refresh their internal atmosphere and prevent image damage!

“They entered politics to gain power, but ended up tightening the noose around their own necks.”

“That’s how politics is. It’s a place where you can always end up entrapping yourself.”

Sitting beside me, Minseong Kang cautiously glanced at me before carefully speaking.

He asked if I knew that Sujin Hyun’s fiancé had died so meaninglessly.

When I said yes, he remained silent for a while. The meaning of that silence was obvious.

“I’m fine. Perhaps I’m a mutant. Or maybe I’m just another unintended failure of an experiment that normally fails.”

“No. You are not a failure. Rather… no, never mind.”

Clearing his throat, Minseong Kang looked at me with firm eyes.

“You’re not a work or a result. You’re a person. An excellent and remarkable person. Recalling the past might be difficult, but…”

Minseong Kang continued to comfort me. But honestly, I wasn’t troubled at all.

Or was I? Since the past me wasn’t really me, I can’t say much about that part.

“By the way, Chairman. Has there still been no trace of Sujin Hyun found?”

Cyclops is dead. With a massive explosion, his head disappeared.

And Sujin Hyun was right next to that massive explosion.

“That’s right. They say nothing can be found no matter how hard they look.”

“I see.”

“There’s also talk that there might not be any trace to find in the first place.”

I know what that means.

It means she didn’t escape alive but was completely obliterated.

“Jiyoon, that guy, and even that crazy one, Rina, are all puzzled. They say if she had sustained such severe injuries while escaping, there would be traces she couldn’t erase, but there’s nothing. With that level of power, even an S-grade user wouldn’t have survived.”

Indeed, even I, who was at a distance, almost died.

The damage Sujin Hyun would have received, being right next to it, would have been much more severe.

It was an explosion powerful enough to completely obliterate the head of the incredibly tough Cyclops.

For Sujin Hyun, who had already accumulated significant physical damage, it might have been impossible to withstand.

“…”

Did she really die? Objectively speaking, that possibility is almost certain.

Strangely, I didn’t feel at all that she was dead.

[Regarding the unethical superpower experiments that have caused all kinds of controversies…]

[As public interest in the punishment of those involved increases…]

[While some say it was unavoidable, most public opinion calls for severe punishment, saying it’s an abominable act that should never have happened…]

For over a week, the news was filled with these stories every day.

They talk as if they’re going to impose the death penalty, but honestly, I don’t have high expectations.

Already, there’s talk that legal punishment will have its limitations.

First, there’s no one who directly suffered from the research and experiments.

All related parties who were eliminated would have been processed as accidental deaths.

It’s fortunate that it’s even labeled as unethical life experiments.

Additionally, opinions are being attached that the connection between the facility and gate appearances is weak.

Plus, there’s talk that the intention wasn’t malicious but for national interest.

The court’s conclusion was that while what they did was wrong, there was no direct harm in the end.

These bastards seem to have been busy lobbying everywhere.

They must have gathered all the money they could and poured it out.

They must have really wanted to live. Didn’t want to be buried alive?

Instead, they’ll have to live the rest of their lives without power or wealth.

Additionally, they’ll have to endure all kinds of insults from people.

Actually, I wonder if it wouldn’t be better to just face the consequences rather than live like that.

So what did I do to make the situation turn out that way?

Did I run around trying to make those bastards pay for their crimes?

No. The only thing I did was nothing.

I even stopped those around me who were angry at attempts to calm the situation.

First, I told Minseong Kang, Hakjun Ma, and the association chairman not to move.

I said let’s quietly observe what they’re doing.

I also calmed down Jiyoon Han and Rina Lee, who were ready to push everything down immediately.

“No. Arbiter Baek, weren’t you trying to impose legal punishment on those guys?”

“Why are you stopping us, Seojin? If we just leave those bastards, they’ll quietly slip away again!”

“Just say the word, oppa. I’ll just kill them all. S-grade? I’ll just quit, whatever.”

I dissuaded all the people around me who said such things.

I said there’s no need for that. That the current situation is what I’ve been waiting for.

I could overturn everything immediately by using the people around me.

But I didn’t do that. I just let those whose identities were revealed be pushed out of the world.

So that they couldn’t hide even if they tried, so that the whole world would cry out that they should receive divine punishment.

So that even if they died, no one would sympathize and would rather bury their deaths quickly.

So that everyone would forget within a day, saying they received divine punishment.

There. I’ve done all I can. Now it’s your turn to finish it.

“Seojin! Seojin! Look at this!”

What Jiyoon Han handed me was her mobile phone with an internet article on it.

When I looked at her with a “What is this?” expression, she immediately explained.

“Those damn bastards? They all died within the past few days.”

“They died? What, did someone carry out a terrorist attack?”

“According to the investigation, three died in traffic accidents, one from a fall, two from suicide, and the causes of death for the others are varied, but evidence of murder is hardly emerging. The superpower investigation team couldn’t find any traces of magic either.”

“So you’re saying they all died for different reasons within a few days? All the related parties?”

Jiyoon Han nodded at my question.

“What do you think, Jiyoon?”

“It’s a bit… no, very fishy, right? It doesn’t make sense. Not just one, but all of them died within a few days. But no matter how much I look into it, there’s nothing suspicious.”

“So there’s circumstantial evidence but no physical evidence.”

“Who cares? Those damn things are all dead. I guess they received divine punishment or something.”

Divine punishment. Divine punishment, huh? Yes, that could be it.

It could be that heaven was angry and they all died around the same time.

Or, someone who emerged from the shadows might have done it.