Ch.55Haven’t I Seen You Before? – 4

It was unfair. That was the only thought in the mind of the honorary chairman of Jinhan Group.

It was something he had barely built through all sorts of underhanded methods in his younger days.

Starting with loan sharking and multi-level marketing, he had expanded into finance, construction, and distribution.

Though there were still many rumors about his shady background, he had stubbornly made it this far.

Now he was pouring money into politics, gradually bringing Superpower users under his command with massive cash payments.

He had moved beyond being a mid-sized company and was dreaming of something just a little bigger…

“Wow. This is really fancy. Honorary chairman, they said? You’re living in a palace. Or is it? Maybe it’s where cult leaders stay? Or perhaps… a tunnel for a gangster pretending to be human?”

That dream was now crumbling because of some monster.

A woman sitting cross-legged in the honorary chairman’s seat, cackling with laughter.

She looked barely in her twenties. The youthful air about her hadn’t even completely faded.

Before this woman, the honorary chairman was kneeling, his head bowed to the floor.

‘How did things end up like this? How on earth did it happen?’

It all started with an incident caused by his third grandson.

According to him, an examiner had humiliated him.

He wanted to teach that nobody a bitter life lesson.

So he tried to hire someone to put the man in a difficult situation.

Unfortunately, that examiner turned out to be an acquaintance of the woman sitting in front of him—the one even villains called a madwoman.

That person was likely an acquaintance of “Rina Lee.”

‘My grandson clearly said he only planned it, but didn’t actually do anything.’

His grandson wasn’t the type to lie to him.

He had raised him to be thoroughly obedient from childhood, so he definitely wouldn’t lie.

Therefore, there must be absolute truth in what his grandson said.

Though he was caught in the middle, it still only amounted to an “attempted” crime.

If the police had gotten involved, it might have been swept under the rug.

Even if they had made an issue of it, he could have found some way to wriggle out of it.

But this “madwoman” absolutely refused to let it go.

And the results were devastating. Rina immediately stormed in and turned all his affiliates upside down.

Literally by force, unstoppably, to the extent that even public authorities had to back off.

Immediately afterward, a sudden large-scale prosecution investigation took place.

All branches of the company were raided, and operations were completely paralyzed.

The political connections he had built? They all shut their mouths and went into hiding.

No matter how much he tried to contact them, no one would answer.

Even when he threatened to expose their relationships, they remained unmoved.

He later realized that the prosecution was purely trying to destroy Jinhan.

They weren’t trying to make this a political issue, but were watching someone’s back.

That’s why those political figures cut all contact and disappeared.

“Hey.”

“…”

“Hey. Not answering me? Old geezer?”

Typical Korean slang coming from the blonde, blue-eyed woman’s mouth.

It was a shock on a completely different level than hearing a foreigner shout “Shibal!”

“Y-yes, Miss Rina.”

“Feeling wronged?”

“N-no, absolutely not…”

“The feeling of injustice is written all over your face, you know.”

Honestly, he couldn’t deny it.

After being completely exposed by the prosecution, his group torn to pieces.

Beaten down by the mass media, competitors seizing the opportunity to attack.

Only after weathering this storm could he finally regain his senses.

Just when he thought it was over, Rina appeared again.

This time with the terrifying promise to completely crush him.

“This time, this time we really have nothing to do with it.”

“Hmm. Go on.”

“It’s true. I admit what happened before. I failed to properly educate my grandson. I beat him for it and told him to keep his head down at the Academy. He’s not the type to disobey that. Since then, I truly haven’t ordered or planned anything!”

The chairman cried out with a truly desperate voice.

Because it was the truth. He and his subordinates really hadn’t done anything.

Among those just trying to live well in this world, not even villains.

What madman would think of provoking an S-class ability user? Especially “Rina.”

She was a living strategic nuclear weapon. Touch her and you die.

Moreover, other nuclear weapons at least have safety mechanisms and management.

This madwoman has no safety switch. She could explode at any time.

“Hmm. So, this time you really didn’t do it. Is that right?”

“That’s correct.”

“Really?”

“I swear. I stake everything I’ve built on it.”

Rina made a humming sound, then stood up from her seat.

An intimidating presence impossible to believe came from someone who had just entered her twenties.

And between that eeriness, captivating movements were hidden.

A crazy woman, yes. Clearly a crazy woman, but there was also something irresistible about her.

“So last time, you admit you were trying to do something, right?”

“Pardon?”

“Last time. When you tried to harm our handsome oppa.”

“That matter, Miss Rina already…”

Thump—

Rina’s foot landed on top of the chairman’s head.

“So you thought I was finished with that?”

“W-wasn’t that the case?”

“No. It wasn’t. I was dragged away for a dispatch. That’s why I handed it over to the prosecutors. But these bastards. They don’t do their job properly. I told them to raid, and they just raided. That’s not how it should be.”

If she told them to raid, what’s wrong with them just raiding?

What kind of nonsensical, literally insane talk was this!

But the chairman couldn’t say anything.

Advanced society, foundational science, deeply rooted ideologies.

Yet in this world, superpowers stood above everything else.

They defeat monsters that no Earth technology can handle.

They fight villains that armies cannot face.

For this reason alone, superpower users are beings that cannot be carelessly provoked.

Of course, since they are still people living among people,

they don’t completely ignore the world’s gaze and evaluation.

Those who do have already become villains destroying the world.

So even S-class ability users moderately observe social atmosphere.

Because they can’t live alone, they accommodate despite being called demigods.

However, not everyone is like that.

“You know what I hate most? People touching what’s mine.”

A madness different from villains. Yes, what reflected in those eyes was clearly madness.

“He’s definitely an oppa who can make me feel excited. Just thinking about it makes me so thrilled. It’s electrifying, almost deadly. But only I can do that. I absolutely cannot tolerate other bitches or bastards leaving a scratch on him.”

Fssss—

Golden flashes of light surge around Rina’s body and then disappear.

Witnessing this scene, cold sweat runs down the chairman’s spine.

“Then… what would you like me to do? Please tell me.”

At the chairman’s words, Rina responded with an “Hmm?”

Then she suddenly burst into laughter, holding her stomach.

“Ahaha! Ah, ah! This is crazy.”

“I’ll do anything. If you want compensation for that examiner, I’ll pay any amount. If my grandson is the problem, I’ll leave him to your disposal. So please…”

“Hey. You still don’t understand what I’m saying, do you?”

Rina bent down and looked at the chairman.

Seeing the madness swirling in those eyes once again, the chairman could only let out a sigh.

Can one negotiate with a natural disaster? Of course not.

In front of an enormous calamity, there was nothing a human could do.

*

[…Are you just going to leave it like this?]

“You shouldn’t be asking me that. Jiyoon, isn’t this a problem you need to handle?”

[This bitch needs to be taught a lesson! I don’t know why she suddenly went crazy, but she’s barging in and causing all sorts of trouble again. Dean, please go check on her.]

News about Rina quickly reached Han Jiyoon through the Association.

In truth, the Association doesn’t have much power to stop her either.

At best, they could request cooperation from other S-class ability users.

If not that, they would have to go beg Rina’s parents again.

Or, they could ask for help from some individuals Rina finds uncomfortable.

For example, Hakjun Ma, who is currently on the phone with Han Jiyoon.

“I’m busy.”

[No! What if something really serious happens!]

“What power does an old man like me have? And don’t pass your work onto me.”

[That’s too much!]

Beep—

Han Jiyoon ended the call with a sulky voice.

Of course, she wasn’t really upset. She knows very well it’s her responsibility.

It’s only natural that you need an S-class to stop an S-class.

“Ugh…”

Hakjun Ma, sinking deep into his chair, let out a sigh.

Was it because of Rina causing trouble again? No, that wasn’t it.

Why worry about someone who isn’t even an Academy student anymore?

“Looking at that examiner, suddenly someone came to mind.”

“Hakjun. Do you remember that man?”

Why was he suddenly mentioning that incident?

Hakjun Ma sincerely wanted to strangle his friend.

“Sujin. Sujin Hyun, that child’s fiancé.”

At first, he didn’t understand what his friend meant.

He cursed, asking why he was bringing up a story buried deep in the shadows.

Minseong Kang apologized but firmly continued.

“You know. This might sound absurd… but they’re similar.”

“I’m not talking about appearances or anything like that. What I mean is… he’s similar to that man. The way his skills suddenly bloom and fully blossom. The way he instantly reads and incorporates techniques shown to him just moments before.”

To this, Hakjun Ma replied that genius often appears at unexpected times.

And he told him never to mention that incident again, in a very stern voice.

But after ending the call, Hakjun Ma had to bite his lip.

Why suddenly bring up that incident, that person’s story?

“Sigh…”

Letting out another sigh, Hakjun Ma’s face sank into contemplation.

In his long life, he had few regrets.

But if he had to name one thing he regretted, it would be precisely that moment Minseong Kang had brought up.