Ch.665Chapter 25. Let it Unfold (15)

Incheon, near the site of the ‘old’ Chinatown. Wolmido Island.

Extracting and stealing awakening crests from ability users who possess them.

Kidnapping crew members of ability users from Country A, meaning non-S-class association agents or diplomats.

Staging kidnappings targeting World Cup players, related personnel, or their security details in various countries.

Some unknown forces, particularly people who appeared to be from a certain country, were systematically trying to cause “trouble.”

[But the Syndicate was already five moves ahead.]

I arrived at the site of the old Chinatown, now “MacArthur Park,” named after a hero who died in the line of duty here.

Why MacArthur Park in Incheon, on Korean soil?

Wasn’t MacArthur from the Korean War era?

To summarize the information from the Hero Wiki in three lines:

There was a hero named Arthur Mac (20, real name) who came to Korea from America.

He sacrificed himself fighting villains in Chinatown, saving 100,000 citizens.

As the Chinese residents left and Chinatown became a redevelopment zone, it transformed into a new city with MacArthur Park at its center.

Or so they say.

However.

This place is where various organizations gather.

The waters off Incheon, the easiest access point to the Korean peninsula from China.

A place easily reached by swimming across the Yellow Sea or by submarine, then crawling along the seabed.

If you ask why they can easily enter Korea, I could simply answer “Haeguneul made it possible” and be done with the explanation.

Now it’s difficult for Chinese ability users to enter.

After Haeguneul collapsed and illegal residents in this area were driven out, their places were taken by Incheon natives who cooperate with our Syndicate.

And so.

Currently, Wolmido Island—right next to the old Chinatown in Incheon—has become a major base for our Syndicate.

Though it’s been less than three weeks since it became our base, and on the surface it looks like nothing more than a dilapidated amusement park site.

[It was worth asking Seong Ji-eun for a favor.]

The sight of “Wolmido Undercity” before me is more terrifying than any typical amusement park attraction.

[Now this is an amusement park.]

“Kyaaaaaaah!!”

Screams fill the air.

Both men and women are screaming so intensely they’re wetting themselves and fainting.

They’re all wearing restraint-like clothes with “diapers” on their lower bodies.

“I’ll curse you, Goblin!! Ugh, uweeek!!”

Among them was a man whose cradle I had shattered with the stingray ability just hours ago.

Unlike some who were merely “bound,” this man was truly “broken,” but since they were all Zenros’d anyway, there wasn’t much difference.

Even if they claim to be rehabilitated later, I have no intention of releasing the seals unless they show significant improvement, so there’s really no problem.

[It’s perfect for rehabilitation training, don’t you think?]

“Hmm…. Ah, haha. I’m a bit concerned about using them as human punching bags, but….”

Ymir expresses reluctance, but she doesn’t raise her voice to say “This is wrong!”

“Considering the evil they were trying to commit, well, they deserve it…?”

[Thank you for thinking that way. Always.]

Since even Ymir thinks “they deserve it,” I don’t hesitate to make these Chinese villains experience the full course of the Wolmido underground amusement park theme park in their Zenros’d state.

[Voice phishing, threats, kidnapping, imprisonment, human trafficking, crimes, and on top of that….]

“Haeguneul leeches.”

[Exactly.]

Because they’re such beings, they’re now…

“Haaap!”

“Kugh, you Zenros’d Korean!”

“You’re the same! Take this, Diamond Strike!”

[They become sparring partners for rehabilitating Koreans who were Zenros’d but have reformed.]

“It’s mostly physical combat. It seems our side is doing all the hitting, though….”

Anyway, they become sparring partners.

“Stop, stop…! How long are you going to lift me up and down?!”

“Until my Golden Staff runs out of mana!”

“Kyaaak!!”

[They’re perfect targets for practicing using mana from ManaGold to use abilities from their previous lives.]

“Previous lives is a bit… Well, if we’re talking about their past lives as villains or demons, then I guess that’s accurate.”

Though they can’t use their own mana, they can use the mana from ManaGold to use abilities 3-4 times per staff.

“Everyone, commence firing! Ready shooters, fire!”

“Uwaak!! Are you communists?! Tying people up like this and shooting, aaaak!! That, that hit me!!”

“Don’t stop firing! He’s already broken!”

“Kyaaaak!”

[Making bullets from ManaGold and shooting them—even civilians can fire without hesitation. At that rate, concentrated fire from about 5 militia members could subdue an E-class villain, right?]

“If each shot costs 10 million won, we’re burning through the price of three apartments just to catch one E-class villain?”

Even those who aren’t ability users or Zenros’d are practicing precision shooting with K2 rifles loaded with magical gold bullets, firing single shots for suppression training.

[Platinum Sun. How do you feel after touring the attractions?]

“…A research facility where non-ability users can study means to subdue ability users?”

[Correct answer.]

As Ymir said, this place is both a prison for Zenros’d villains and a research facility.

[In movies, you sometimes see prisoners being used for all kinds of experiments. This is exactly that kind of place. We capture those who tried to sabotage the World Cup and experiment on them here under Wolmido Island.]

“They don’t die, right?”

[Right. They absolutely don’t die.]

No matter how much they’re attacked, shot at, or used for ability practice, they don’t die or get injured.

[Even if hit by a K2 rifle, it would feel like being hit by a balloon.]

Even though our Syndicate uses villains to gather experimental data, both the leader and executives are good people.

[If we did what they do, I wouldn’t be in this organization in the first place.]

We don’t do unethical or inhumane things.

“…What are those people doing?”

[You’ll find out later when we go somewhere like the Kunlun Mountains, but it’s better not to know for now. Or… it might become known after the World Cup.]

If.

If she decided to do as “promised.”

“…I don’t know what it is, but if it’s like those hellish scenes I’ve seen in old movies, ugh….”

If Ymir brings me materials containing things she only thought about but dismissed as “No way that could happen in reality”…

Then I might be able to somewhat quench the twisted desires born from the remnants of Haeguneul that spread to Western Joseon, and from human malice and inferiority complexes.

Anyway.

[There are many similar facilities across the country. Fortunately, no one will be missing the World Cup for “personal reasons.”]

Before the World Cup, we thwarted all the schemes of those trying to disrupt it, like the Peach Sisters.

“That’s a relief. I was worried my first opponent might be missing because someone threatened their family with a knife.”

Ymir pointed at her reflection in the glass.

“Do you think I can do as well as my sister?”

[Of course.]

Though the Ymir reflected in the mirror was essentially similar to Yoon Hye-ra…

[I’ll be coaching you right beside you, so what’s there to worry about?]

[Piyoot.]

A red sparrow spread its wings above Ymir’s head.

[Great Phoenix! Great Phoenix! Great Great Phoenix!]

“…Sister, are you perhaps under a lot of stress?”

[Piyooot!!]

[I want to joke around, but she’s not someone I can do that with.]

If there’s anyone to blame, it can only be Yoon Hye-ra’s parents.

[If she had been born just 1 year and 3 months earlier, Yoon Hye-ra would be in Korea now instead of Hyun Se-rin.]

“……”

Even for S+ class executives.

[The youngest capable member always does the work. They’re assigned because they’re capable.]

[Piyooot!!]

“…Isn’t that a really old-fashioned thing to say?”

[You’ll understand everything after military service.]

Age, seniority, and the deeply rooted culture of the great land of Korea cannot be ignored.

“I see…. But teacher, you haven’t completed military service, have you? Military…?”

[…….]

“As an ability user, were you ever drafted? I haven’t heard about that. Did you perhaps hide being an ability user and then become a villain when your draft notice arrived?”

[I did complete my service.]

In my pre-possession days.

And currently, I’m a veteran (through computer hacking).

‘If I had been forced to go to the military, I probably wouldn’t be in this world anymore.’

I survived because I’m an ability user.

Even though serving in the military twice makes you a legend, even for someone who possessed a body in a modern fantasy Korean nationalist light novel…

‘I don’t want to go to the Korean military twice.’

I already think I’m serving the country loyally enough and working hard for this nation.

Although.

Even if I end up defeating Korean ability users in the World Cup, at least behind the scenes there’s a Goblin like me working hard for Korea.

“Teacher. May I ask you something?”

[Hmm. What is it?]

“If you have a child, they’ll have American citizenship first, right? So what happens to your citizenship?”

[Well, obviously.]

As a possessor, I…

[There’s Do Ji-hwan who’s Korean, but there’s also ‘Doblin’ who has American citizenship? Officially it might not appear so, but.]

“Uh, um, dual citizenship…?”

[Not dual, but two separate citizenships.]

In this world.

[Give birth in America, raise and educate in Korea.]

“Is that possible?”

[Ms. Ymir.]

I’m a villain.

[Have you ever heard of the term ‘false resident registration’?]

The opening ceremony.

The day of the decisive battle has arrived.