Chapter 52 - Return

The new terror attack I'm planning isn't just any ordinary attack.

It is a "kill two birds with one stone" operation, designed to prevent a major catastrophe—a Main Event—from the original storyline.

Haneun Group.

One of South Korea's top conglomerates, and a breeding ground for lunatics who attempted to mass-produce ability users through illegal human experimentation on orphans.

My dear Seo-eun was a victim of these guys' experiments. While she gained superior intellect as a result, it goes without saying that she endured horrific agony in the process.

In any case, the true nature of this insane corporation—known to the public as just an ordinary company—is about to be exposed.

This is the first "Main Event" in the original work where people die in droves.

These are the people who, even after their biological experiments failed miserably last time, couldn't get their act together and continued doing shady things in the shadows.

Well, that much would have been fine, but the board gets flipped over by a new maniac who joined the fray.

His goal is "Post-Humanity."

I don't know what kind of bullshit that is, but anyway, this guy has the bright idea of making a monster.

And voila! They actually succeeded in making a real monster.

But it was uncontrollable.

A test subject made of sticky black slime, large enough to look like a skyscraper lying on its side.

When it moves, it resembles a massive black tidal wave.

It's a horrific creature that corrodes everything it touches.

The problem? This thing... or things? Anyway, this black wriggler escaped.

Since it has no eyes, it just charges forward mindlessly.

And of all places, those lunatics at Haneun Group decided to conduct this experiment in an underground lab in Seoul.

Yes. They devastated Seoul.

After erupting from the underground, it cut vertically across Seoul, heading up and up.

Things that looked like black waves obliterated Seoul in a straight line, continuing further north.

Yes. To North Korea.

North Korea, minding its own business, was suddenly swept away and devastated by a black monstrosity coming from the South.

South Korea was actually lucky; since it started in Seoul, the southern regions remained safe. But North Korea had its entire territory ravaged in a straight line.

This almost triggered a war, with them screaming that the "wicked South Korean bastards" were finally trying to destroy the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Furthermore, if the creatures were going to charge straight ahead, they should have just kept going to China. But they decided to settle down in North Korea, driving the North Korean government to the brink of insanity. By the time it crossed the border, it had grown stronger and started flying.

Eventually, the Ice Maiden of the North Sea goes to take care of it, but that is a story for the distant future.

Fortunately, their weakness was water. Water is common and easy to find. That was the only reason the Ice Maiden of the North Sea could handle it easily.

Anyway, this incident serves as the first truly tragic event in the original work, a signal flare announcing that this comic would be far gloomier than your typical popcorn hero flicks.

The atmosphere of the work, which had been relatively bright until then, starts to become increasingly depressing from this point on.

Which means, I absolutely have to stop it.

The world I'm living in suddenly turning into 1980s Gotham City? Am I supposed to just watch that happen?

So, I've been agonizing over this for quite a while.

How do I stop this?

Actually, the best method would be to stop the experiment itself, but that isn't a good move in the long run.

This incident is the decisive trigger that exposes Haneun Group's hideous atrocities to the world and eventually causes their leadership to be wiped out.

Plus, without a method like this, it's hard to bring down Haneun Group. Their influence on South Korean politics and media is so immense that ordinary scandals won't even leave a scratch.

So, the conclusion is that I need to let that giant black wriggler run wild to expose them, but minimize the damage.

How?

I pondered this for a long time. Then, I suddenly realized something.

A line mentioned in the original work.

'Hah, of all things, there was a bridge across the Han River right in its path. If only that bridge hadn't been there...'

Exactly.

The reason the thing that erupted in Gangnam could advance all the way to North Korea, despite water being its weakness.

It was because there happened to be a bridge right where it was charging.

If that bridge hadn't been there?

It would have plunged straight into the river and died. How great is that? Case closed!

It would have been weak since it was just born, so it really would have died if it fell into the river. Later on, it learns to fly, so crossing rivers becomes a joke to it. If only that Han River bridge hadn't been there.

Right.

It would be fine if the bridge just wasn't there.

Then, shouldn't I just break that bridge?

At that moment, lightning struck my brain.

Eureka.

Let's smash the bridge.

Since this is such a major event, the original work specified the exact timing, so I just need to collapse it right before that.

Once I decided to destroy the bridge, I didn't hesitate.

I'd have Seo-eun make bombs again, calculate the angle for demolition...

Then, zap, another bolt of lightning hit my head.

Wait. Explosion. Isn't that terror?

Then, can't I just blow up the bridge as a terrorist attack?

And so, the terror plan was set.

"We are going to blow up a bridge."

[The 9th Regular Ego Squad Meeting]

Standing with my back to the whiteboard announcing that this was already our ninth meeting, I made the proclamation.

"Okay, what do I need to prepare?"

Asked Seo-eun, eyes sparkling.

"When is the timing?"

Asked Subin, curious about the specific date.

"Uh... why are we doing a terror attack in the first place?"

Asked our Healer, Lee Ha-yul, wearing an expression that said she had no idea why she was here.

To the members who had roughly gathered, I explained the plan forward.

"Ha-yul, you might not understand yet, but with terror, the more the merrier. The peninsula has gotten too relaxed; it needs some tension. The timing is scheduled for a few weeks from now. We need to start planning the preparations now."

"Oppa, you haven't actually thought of the details yet, have you?"

"Right! First off, there's a reason we have to blow up the bridge, so we're going to blow it up. Let's think about how to cook this into a terror attack."

"Okay. Hmm... a bridge, a bridge. Which bridge are you talking about?"

"You know that big bridge on the Han River? That one."

"That one? Ah, is that why you asked me to make the bomb's power ridiculously high?"

"Yeah. It looked like we'd need something pretty big to bring that down."

"Hmm... You want to create that dilemma situation again, right? And that Stardus person has to get involved again?"

"Ahem. Seo-eun, 'that person'? Well, you're not wrong."

"E-Excuse me... why am I here?"

While we were having a heated discussion, a quiet question came from the side.

When everyone turned their heads toward the source of the sound, Lee Ha-yul was there, shrinking slightly under the sudden gaze.

"Ah, Ha-yul. You're practically family to us now. Since we're family, you should help with family plans, right? I called you so we could brainstorm together. Collective intelligence, okay?"

At my words, she muttered "Family..." and nodded. Her gaze became a little more motivated.

...Actually, collective intelligence is one thing, but I also called her to slowly dye her in our colors by bringing her around often. Originally, becoming accomplices is how you build intimacy and deepen bonds. If we keep getting closer, won't the day come when she reveals her healing abilities to us?

Anyway, we put our heads together.

Just as various ideas were coming up and disappearing.

Seo-eun clapped her hands as if she remembered something and spoke.

"Ah! Oppa! We have that thing we didn't use last time. The one you named the Good Samaritan Law or whatever."

"That?"

Right, there was something like that. The plan that got scrapped because we caused a different terror incident. But isn't that unusable for a bridge...?

"No, Oppa. Let's try modifying it like this."

Seo-eun explained her thoughts.

Oh, this is good?

Then, Ha-yul, who had been listening quietly, spoke up from the side.

"Um... wouldn't it be good to do it like this here? Since you said there shouldn't be any casualties, if we just..."

"Oh. That's not bad either?"

And so, we spent several days fleshing out our plan.

A few days later.

"Right, this should do it."

Preparation was complete.

***

Shin Haru.

She had developed a new habit lately.

[I made an Egostic figure, Mang-bros. Rate this?]

[Mangostick's legend is definitely the Quiz Show.]

[Real Mang-fans know: The train terror is the best.]

[Mang, mang, mang. Why does every post start with 'Mang'? Is this a mango cafe?]

[Day 118 of eating gratitude mangoes praying for Egostic's return.]

[Reasons why Mangostick has to return this week... real fact.]

[[Shared] 5 reasons why Egostic isn't coming back.]

It was reading posts on Egostic's fan cafe.

She initially started looking to see if there was any new information about Egostic, but checking it daily had become a sort of habit.

Although the majority were meaningless shitposts, while she was mindlessly scrolling through them to kill time...

A single new post popped up.

[Hey Egositc a nwe video is up soifjwoei]

"...?"

At the same time.

Posts began flooding the fan cafe.

[It's up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!]

[Shit, this is pure sex LOL]

[Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you]

[Hey, it's up LOL]

[I was watching TV, what is this LOL]

[I'm here LOL]

[The King is back LOL]

[Mangostick! Mangostick! Mangostick! Mangostick! Mangostick!]

[New masterpiece dropped after 118 days LOL]

[Hey sh*t, it's up LOL]

[Is this real? Is this real? Is this real? Is this real? Is this real? Is this real?]

[Sht LOL Is there actually a community that gets happy about a terror attack? Pew pew]*

[Go to TV OR YouTube right now GOGOGO]

[Damn it, I believed in you!!!]

[Hey, where is that? Analyze it quickly LOL]

Shin Haru, instantly grasping the situation, hurriedly opened YouTube.

A video appeared right on the main screen.

[《Live Streaming》 Hello, this is Egostic.]

At that very moment, she received a call from the Association.

"Yes, yes. I saw it. I'm on my way."

She hurriedly scrambled to her feet and started running.

He is back.