episode_0070

070.

“Hehe. How does it feel to be kidnapped?”

Though it appeared to be a beautiful smile on the surface, for Jin Soyeon, it was a very unpleasant smile, causing her to furrow her brows deeply.

The behavior of Seong Yura, asking about the feeling of being forcibly kidnapped, was truly bewildering.

Seong Yura, is she in her right mind?

What is she saying right now?

“Seong Yura, what is this, why kidnapping?”

As she was kidnapped by active heroes, it was definitely not something trivial.

Why did Seong Yura go as far as kidnapping Jin Soyeon?

Was there some grudge?

“Seong Yura. What are you thinking, why did you kidnap me….”

“The reason? Well….”

Seong Yura seemed to ponder for a moment, tapping her lips with her index finger, and shook her head from side to side.

After hesitating for a moment, Seong Yura finally smiled deeply and playfully pursed her lips.

And then, she blurted out an unexpected and absurd answer.

“Because of your childhood friend and ex-boyfriend?”

“What?”

She kidnapped her because of Lee Jinhyuk? What nonsense is this?

“Jinhyuk?”

“Yes, your ex-boyfriend gave me a hard time. So, I wanted revenge.”

Gave you a hard time?

Revenge?

What happened between them?

At this moment, it was impossible to know, but regardless, kidnapping and confinement were serious crimes.

As Seong Yura was a student at the top hero training academy in South Korea, it was unlikely that she would do such things just because of a grudge.

First, it was necessary to calm Seong Yura down and find out what happened between the two.

To prevent her from going down the wrong path.

“Hey, Seong Yura. I don’t know what happened with Jinhyuk, but I can help. So, stop doing things like this. Kidnapping is a serious….”

“Why? Because it’s a serious crime? But what about this?”

Seong Yura chuckled amusingly.

“I’m the kind of villain who commits crimes like eating breakfast. Kidnapping is not a big deal to me.”

“Oh, a villain?”

Jin Soyeon widened her eyes.

Seong Yura, a student at Union Academy, a villain?

Normally, she would have treated it as a frivolous lie, but having been kidnapped already, she couldn’t afford to be optimistic.

Her words might actually be true.

A villain, a villain….

“….”

A single memory flashed through Jin Soyeon’s mind for a moment.

The vivid memory of almost dying during the attack by villains at the midterm exam, where security guards and students were scattered in all directions, bleeding.

Jin Soyeon managed to hold on, but her injuries were quite serious, so it wouldn’t have been strange if she had collapsed immediately.

If Jinhyuk and his group had arrived a little later, she might have died.

The terrifying and fearful memory overwhelmed Jin Soyeon.

But she gritted her teeth and held on.

It wasn’t like Jin Soyeon to tremble like a fool. And she couldn’t afford to shake like a leaf until Jinhyuk calmed her down, like he did during the incident with the black-handed long-armed monkey.

Jin Soyeon is an aspiring hero, an aspiring hero!

She didn’t want to show weakness in front of a villain.

So, with a more defiant look in her eyes, she glared at Seong Yura. Seong Yura, as if she liked that attitude, shrugged her shoulders once and jokingly began to speak.

“Shall I tell you something fun?”

“….”

“This Union attack incident. Actually, I was involved too.”

“What?”

Chuckling, she patted Jin Soyeon’s shoulder twice.

“The villains who fought with you are my subordinates. You’re quite good at fighting, aren’t you? It’s hard to believe you’re ranked 257th among the freshmen.”

“Seong Yura, you…!”

Did Seong Yura really intervene in this terrible tragedy?

In that horrific massacre?

Jin Soyeon shouted her name with all her might, her body trembling.

If she wasn’t restrained, she would have rushed to attack Seong Yura like a madwoman.

“Seong Yura! Do you know how many people got hurt because of you?! It’s only luck that no one died, it was a situation where anyone could have died!”

“Oh. Yeah. Honestly, I’m a little disappointed. I thought a few people would die, but no one did?”

“Is that what you’re saying right now?!”

Jin Soyeon was genuinely furious.

Despite being kidnapped, Jin Soyeon had maintained a somewhat indifferent attitude, but she couldn’t bear the thought of so many people bleeding because of Seong Yura.

She was much more sensitive to others getting hurt than to herself.

Moreover, the Union attack incident was truly serious.

It was almost a miracle that no one died.

“Jin Soyeon, don’t shout so much. I could make a mistake, you know?”

“….”

Seong Yura raised the black sword with a smile on her face.

It was the sharp, nameless sword that Lee Jinhyuk had given her as a gift last night. Seong Yura slowly extended the sword towards Jin Soyeon’s neck. As the sharp tip of the sword touched her skin, a trickle of blood flowed down.

The chilling sensation threatened Jin Soyeon. Even a slight mistake could end her life.

But Jin Soyeon, with blood dripping down her neck, just stared at Seong Yura with a calm gaze.

She would not be afraid anymore.

Even in the face of a villain.

“That look in your eyes, I like it.”

Ah. I really like that look.

Seong Yura smiled inwardly.

Even in a situation where she could be stabbed at any moment, that bold look and attitude were really nice. It made her want to beg for mercy and spare her life.

“If you keep staring at me like that, my hand might move without me knowing.”

“Stab me.”

“Huh?”

“If you want to stab me, go ahead, Seong Yura.”

As blood dripped down her neck and she didn’t even flinch, Jin Soyeon’s bold expression as she dared Seong Yura to stab her made Seong Yura tilt her head slightly.

Hmm.

Looking at her eyes, it doesn’t seem like she’s just being stubborn because of her pride…

Could it be that she doesn’t really think I’ll stab her because she’s a hostage? If that’s the case, I was wrong, Jin Soyeon. Whether she’s a hostage or not, she can be harmed.

“Jin Soyeon. You know, I might not be able to stab…”

“Since I saw your face, I have no intention of letting you live. So don’t bother with silly things and if you want to kill, then kill.”

She’s quite audacious.

She doesn’t seem to show any fear, even though she probably doesn’t have much experience in such situations.

I don’t know. It’s fun when the whole body trembles with fear. There’s no sign of fear in this girl at all.

Even for an adult man, in such a situation, it’s common to swallow nervously and carefully observe Seong Yura’s reactions.

But Jin Soyeon’s gaze was as calm as a lake.

Is it just a bluff?

It could be just a bluff, but Jin Soyeon just stared at Seong Yura with unwavering eyes.

I’m a little intrigued.

Because that look is something I’ve seen several times before.

A brilliant and upright gaze that never falters in any situation.

Despite facing numerous hardships and adversities, there is a resolution to never succumb to the end.

Rather break than bend, is that it?

Does that make you want to break even more, Jin Soyeon?

‘Oh, this.’

Inside, Seong Yura chuckled.

Ah, in the old days, there were quite a few people who, without knowing the subject, tried to firmly establish their beliefs or pride, right?

Saying they won’t submit to villains, already acting as if they’ve transcended, never forgiving, being familiar with such things…

They spouted a lot of nonsense, but as soon as they were tortured a little, they cried and screamed like little kids.

It was really pathetic, pitiful.

But Jin Soyeon, you are different from those fakes.

It’s your eyes.

Because you’ve seen it before.

‘Eyes. Yes, those eyes. Reminds me of Roxanne.’

Those upright and dignified eyes.

Seong Yura couldn’t help but feel a great sense of joy as they reminded her of Roxanne’s eyes, which bravely faced many hardships and adversities.

‘Hehe. It’s more enjoyable than I thought. It’ll be a good pastime until Lee Jinhyuk arrives.’

Seong Yura smiled slyly and sheathed her sword.

“Kill? Why are you speaking so harshly, Jin Soyeon? We wouldn’t treat a guest we invited to our house so recklessly, would we?”

“Are you forcing invitations these days?”

“I invited you for once, so I was worried you might refuse.”

Seong Yura gently swung her sword a couple of times.

The blood on the sword shimmered in the air.

“It’s a good sword, isn’t it?”

The feeling of slicing through the air is exquisite.

Unlike its dull design, you can tell it’s a fine sword.

“Jin Soyeon, do you know about that? How many villains your ex-boyfriend has cut down with this sword?”

“What nonsense are you talking about?”

Lee Jinhyuk cutting down villains?

What a ridiculous thing to say.

Lee Jinhyuk is just an academy trainee at best.

He hasn’t encountered many villains, nor does he have the ability to defeat them.

His skill score was the lowest from the start, the lowest. It’s impossible for him to take down villains.

“Stop talking nonsense, Seong Yura.”

“Oh~ I see. You really don’t know anything? You two were childhood friends for over ten years.”

“What do I not know?”

“Well? Should we leave that to the joy of playing with your childhood friend? He’ll be here soon.”

Seong Yura glanced at the time.

It was almost time for the appointment.

Has Lee Jinhyuk arrived at the abandoned building in Gyeonggi Province? Unfortunately, the location Seong Yura gave him was a trap. Waiting there were numerous traps and Seong Yura’s subordinates.

Even if he was infamous in the underworld, facing so many people would be impossible.

Moreover, considering the possibility that Lee Jinhyuk wouldn’t come alone, she had arranged her forces generously.

She had assigned command to Beom Taekyeong, one of Seong Yura’s strongest subordinates.

Beom Taekyeong was Seong Yura’s left arm and a skilled fighter who had approached the highest rank.

Although he had retired after being injured and his skills were far below his prime, it was certain that even most heroes wouldn’t dare to face him.

Whoever Lee Jinhyuk brought, Beom Taekyeong and the deployed forces would be able to handle them.

And, there’s an ace in the hole – Jin Soyeon as a hostage?

If the situation turns unfavorable, they could use the hostage to threaten Lee Jinhyuk.

So, if Lee Jinhyuk falls miserably, showing that scene to Jin Soyeon and making her face cry… huh?

– Ring.

“Have you finally arrived?”

It seemed like a message had come from one of her subordinates.

Seongyura received a call, wondering whether Lee Jinhyuk came alone or brought other people with him.

However, looking at the caller ID, it seemed to be a call from the security team at the mansion?

Why would the security team suddenly call?

“What’s going on?”

“….In-intruder! A man suspected to be Vittilante has entered the mansion!”

Huh…?