Ch.57Chapter 3. Mental Care at Your Service (3)

What people who have emigrated or sought asylum say about ability users who remain in Korea:

“Are they idiots or morons?”

It’s a harsh insult.

The reason for such language is simple.

“Why do they stupidly remain in Korea despite all this humiliation? What for?”

“They could just bring their families abroad like I did. Couldn’t I support them?”

“Even if Korea is filled with mana, the increase in mana levels is negligible everywhere, so what’s the big difference?”

“No, how important is that so-called patriotism that they refuse to leave Korea?”

They can’t understand.

They simply cannot comprehend why heroes would choose to remain in Korea.

“In other countries, an A-rank could receive better treatment than an S-rank, so why not emigrate?”

That’s what everyone thinks.

In fact, many in the Syndicate left Korea with the same mindset.

Mainly those who left Korea but didn’t immigrate to other countries, or those who wanted to continue living in Korea but went elsewhere rather than be manipulated like tools.

The Syndicate focused on recruiting these people.

Their “anger toward the nation” would become the Syndicate’s greatest weapon.

Of course, this applies to other organizations within Korea as well, not just the Syndicate.

“Hearing about people constantly telling Seol-hee to have children and get pregnant, I feel like I should say something too.”

The Syndicate has a repertoire of persuasion tactics for oppressed ability users.

“Don’t you find it unpleasant to keep hearing such things? Don’t you get angry, feel like you might go berserk?”

“Ji-hwan?”

Of course, she doesn’t fall for it immediately.

“What I mean is, isn’t the government trying to make Baek Seol-hee go berserk?”

“That won’t… probably happen.”

Baek Seol-hee was confident she wouldn’t go berserk.

“How should I put it, in my case, I don’t experience as much stress about these things as others do.”

“But you came to me to vent, didn’t you?”

“I’m the type of person who just needs someone to listen, and after pouring out my emotions for a day, I feel better the next day.”

“Haven’t people ever told you that you’re frustrating?”

“Not yet. Because…”

Baek Seol-hee blankly looked up at the sky again.

“Everyone who could tell me such things has either died or left.”

“……”

“Ji-hwan. So many people have died or been injured. What percentage of them do you think were ability users who went berserk?”

“Let me guess what you’re trying to say.”

The time for listening to Baek Seol-hee was over.

Now it’s time for me to plant thoughts in her mind.

“All the so-called genuine government-hating ability users are dead, right?”

“……”

“Those who emigrated face social death as Koreans, and those who go berserk in Korea are mercilessly killed.”

“……”

“On the surface, they call it the land of morning calm and Eastern courtesy, but behind the scenes, they commit atrocities worse than other countries.”

Baek Seol-hee’s expression gradually hardened.

“…or so villains like Yimemangryang and others claim.”

Of course, I prepared a logical escape route for myself.

“I can point out the contradictions in this country right away. An ordinary person like Do Ji-hwan might live as a salaried worker regardless of the country’s condition, but as an ability user, you must know more than I do, right? Naturally, you feel irritated and disillusioned… but at the same time, you can’t let go of something.”

“What is that?”

“The thread of hope.”

At my words, Baek Seol-hee gently closed her eyes.

“The belief that this land can still change. The conviction that the people living here can move toward what you consider right. The hope that despite the world crumbling, the ‘hopeful future’ shown in various creative works will come. Aren’t these what sustain you?”

“……”

“You seem to have more of these lifelines than others. While others let go and go berserk, you seem mentally strong enough to contemplate whether to let go or not. But those with shorter lifelines or weaker grips…”

“They all became villains and died.”

Baek Seol-hee’s voice sank.

“My childhood friend Yura, Changhyun who fulfilled his military duty as a hero because all men must serve, and Junghwan, the oldest ability user who entered politics to speak for ability users only to be betrayed—they all became villains and died.”

There are those with grievances.

There are those who commit “treasonous” acts from the rulers’ perspective.

“Every time I see them forcibly turning people into villains—people we wouldn’t even call villains—and disposing of them, my thoughts about this country keep changing.”

They labeled everyone who didn’t follow the state’s orders, who didn’t surrender to its threats, who didn’t fall for its persuasion, who showed even the slightest resistance, as villains.

“The moral education I received as a child—reading biographies and thinking ‘I should be like this person,’ or learning from the ethics of firefighters and social workers helping people—it all seems to be crumbling now. In the face of reality’s filth.”

“So what will you do? Will you emigrate?”

“You know that everyone who emigrates becomes a ‘Steven Jo,’ right?”

“Yes. They’ll never be allowed to set foot on Korean soil again.”

Though some historical events didn’t occur after the Great Cataclysm, “that incident” actually happened in this world too.

The names and circumstances differ, but in the 90s, a top singer emigrated to avoid military service.

“How do you feel about becoming an American after leaving God-Korea?”

“If I had known Korea would become God-Korea, I would have fulfilled my military service! How could I have known Korea would become like this!”

He regrets it, but no one in Korea welcomes “Steven” anymore.

The same applies to ability users.

Regardless of why they left, the government turned all emigrants and asylum seekers into “Stevens.”

By manipulating public opinion and media, spreading government materials, they made everyone curse and condemn these people.

Not realizing their actions were creating more Stevens.

“If you emigrate or seek asylum, you won’t be ‘Steven’ but ‘Baek Seol-hee.'”

“Yes. If I leave this country, it won’t just be an entry ban—my entire life will be denied. They’ll call me something like ‘Shirosheki Yukihara.'”

“Are you seeking asylum in Japan?”

“Not at all. I’m saying they’ll call me something like that. As if I’m someone whose name shouldn’t be spoken.”

“And the country will turn you into such a person. If you try to leave Korea in any way.”

“…Yes.”

Baek Seol-hee became depressed again.

“Can this country change?”

Finally.

Baek Seol-hee began to reveal her “true feelings” about why she can’t leave.

“I can’t do it alone, but if we gather people and unite our intentions, couldn’t we change things for the better?”

“Even one person like you could change things. But that path will be arduous and difficult, and the government will humiliate you in every possible way.”

This has already happened countless times. It’s reality.

“Perhaps the government has even reached out to villains to eliminate ability users who show negative attitudes toward the government.”

“…That’s going too far.”

“You never know. They might hire hitmen like in movies. For example… they might orchestrate a situation where a hero kills someone, then turn them into a villain deserving death, and have someone execute them.”

“Are you talking about… the Goblin?”

“Yes. But before I continue, I’m not defending him. The Goblin is a murderer.”

I don’t deny that I am a murderer.

“Among those the Goblin executes, there must be many such people. When the government can no longer manipulate someone to their liking, and can’t eliminate them with their own power, they arrange for the Goblin to execute them.”

“…Really, the more I hear, the more numb I feel toward this country. Ji-hwan.”

Baek Seol-hee looked at me intently and asked.

“If you were an S-rank ability user like me, and in my position, what would you do?”

“Me?”

“Yes. I’m not teasing you. I genuinely want to know.”

“I…”

I’ve already chosen my path.

“I don’t know much about politics. No matter how terrible the country appears, it would be difficult for me to change this nation by myself. Everyone has their own talents.”

I don’t have that talent.

“I would look for someone. Someone who could strongly control this country from the ‘inside’ or ‘outside,’ or both.”

But I know someone with that talent.

“I would dedicate my life to someone who could make this country truly great without oppressing anyone, working for everyone.”

Just one person.

There is one.

“Everyone has different perspectives on changing this country. Unlike a good person like you… I had such thoughts.”

Someone with the ambition to conduct a “great purge” of all the rulers Baek Seol-hee mentions, and place people with similar mindsets as her in key positions—people who would truly work for the country and its citizens.

“We need to smash the heads of all these ‘corrupt officials’ who aren’t even ability users themselves but use ability users as tools for their own greed.”

“…Are you with Hwalbindang?”

“No. Hwalbindang only ends with destruction. What’s important is what comes after—recreation after destruction.”

The Syndicate looks further into the future.

“I would work for someone who could create a country where my child wouldn’t be oppressed or manipulated, wouldn’t be forced into ideological education, could enjoy freedom with others, and live peacefully.”

For that purpose.

“At least in the new country such a person creates…”

I became the Goblin who smashes the heads of such “villains.”

“They wouldn’t view a woman as a tool for producing ability users.”

“…As I thought.”

Baek Seol-hee turned her head sideways and smiled faintly.

“I’m glad I talked with you, Ji-hwan.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

“In that sense.”

Baek Seol-hee fidgeted with her fingers and asked me.

“…Can I stay the night?”

“…?”