Chapter 143 - Heroes' Backdoor Schemes

["The Brazilian Incident and the global invasion—two consecutive disasters that have shaken the world. As fear spreads, global security has become unstable, and villain terrorist attacks have become more frequent. In response, the government has decided to designate several countries, including Japan, as 'travel restriction zones'."]

["Meanwhile, the Republic of Korea remains relatively peaceful. The Association has credited this to 'their efforts to maintain social stability.' Netizens have responded by questioning whether Ego-stream is actually the Association..."]

The Republic of Korea was peaceful.

Of course, only Korea was peaceful—the rest of the world was on the verge of falling apart.

["In the United States Congress, there's ongoing controversy about proposals to conduct a complete survey of all ability users and register their identities with the Association. Since unregistered ability users often become villains, the law would force all citizens with abilities to register and impose penalties for violations..."]

While countries were overreacting, the International Association was suffering from overwork, and corporations were collapsing.

Some people were actually benefiting from the situation.

"Executive Director Choi, did you make the purchase there?"

[Yes. The acquisition was successful. We plan to change the name from Nihon Tech & Ross to Yu-seong Tech & Ross.]

"Thank you. Please continue to help me like this."

[Of course, I'm at your service.]

-Click.

"Sigh..."

Lee Seol-ah sighed after hanging up the phone.

Busy, busy. Even ten bodies wouldn't be enough.

During this unexpected global crisis, Lee Seol-ah was having a better time than anyone.

With repeated security collapses and terrorist attacks overseas, corporate values were gradually declining.

Of course, the Republic of Korea was the exception, remaining peaceful without any crisis. Using capital she had stockpiled in advance, she was shopping for foreign companies. She had bought so many through various tricks that she was almost running out of funds.

"I wonder if this is enough?"

Having roughly completed the situation, she leaned back in her chair. She let out a sigh, but still wore a satisfied smile. She wasn't sure if such an opportunity would come again, but she had done as much as she could. Although she couldn't acquire many Korean companies since they were less affected and defended their stock prices well... still, it was better than nothing.

"...Really, I don't know what I would have done without Da-in."

Lee Seol-ah muttered without realizing it.

Egostic. Thanks to his advance warning, she had been able to prepare and cope with everything, so she was grateful.

...Besides, thanks to him, only the Republic of Korea had avoided disaster, which was fortunate.

...But really, what would have happened without Egostic?

Just thinking about that possibility was terrifying.

First, Seoul would have been destroyed by Behemoth and the Han-eun Group, and then the Moonlight Church would have delivered the final blow for a clean finish. Seoul would have been completely ruined, and Busan might have become the capital.

"Wait, but that would be good...?"

If the Blue House and National Assembly had moved to Busan, she might have already taken control of the government. Since Yu-seong Corporation's headquarters was in Busan... perhaps the Republic of Korea would have long since fallen into her hands.

"...But that's not right."

However, she shook her head. Lee Seol-ah wanted to obtain a sound and intact Republic of Korea, not a collapsing country.

Probably, if she had easily taken over the Republic of Korea in a world without Egostic...

...Perhaps her counterpart in that world wouldn't have been very happy.

Rather, in a situation without goals, she might have been suffering.

Well, it was all just absurd fantasy.

Fortunately, Egostic existed, and because of that, the Republic of Korea was still functioning properly today.

'...Egostic.'

In fact, when Egostic first appeared, she hadn't been particularly interested in him. She just thought he was one of many common villains.

But as time passed and she began to observe his actions.

She changed her mind.

Now she sincerely thought he was amazing.

He knew all the information that even she didn't know, and the way he gathered talented people—powerful ability users—and built his own power from scratch was truly something she should learn from. On top of that, hadn't he already prevented several crises in the Republic of Korea?

She didn't understand why someone who seemed to be protecting the country more than anyone else would call himself a villain, but there must be a deeper meaning to it. Da-in seemed to know almost everything.

The problem was that all his attention was focused only on Stardust.

"....."

...Of course, as time continued to pass, she had thought that she might be able to make him notice her rather than Stardust, who didn't even know where he lived.

But then there were all those female villains hanging around him...

But none of that mattered—the biggest problem was that she had made a big mistake last time, and he was disappointed in her.

"...Right, let's just stay put for now."

...Still, she was the only hero who knew his identity, so there was still hope. Maybe...

As Lee Seol-ah was trying to comfort herself, her face suddenly hardened at a passing thought.

"...Come to think of it, Shadow Walker, that guy too..."

When the Moonlight Church's monster awoke, Stardust almost figured out that Egostic had defeated it.

While Lee Seol-ah was trying to cover it up, surprised inside.

At that time, Shadow Walker strongly testified that he hadn't seen anyone, successfully making Stardust think she was mistaken.

"...Did he really not see anything?"

Egostic must have been there. If he had looked around, there's no way he wouldn't have seen him.

...Then, why did he so strongly claim that he hadn't seen anything?

After getting up for a moment, taking a wine bottle from the cabinet, filling it with grape juice, and taking a sip to cool her head, she carefully speculated.

"Maybe..."

She hadn't thought about it at the time because she was busy, but now that she thought about it...

Could Egostic have approached him like he had approached her?

It was entirely possible, especially since Egostic had been the one to approach her first...

"...I should talk to Shadow."

She made up her mind.

Let's see, where was Kim Ja-hyun's phone number...

***

[...Yes. So, there's definitely a strong possibility that Egostic conducted underwater negotiations with Latis. I'm not sure if it was just a lucky coincidence that prevented the terrorist attack, or if Egostic predicted everything and acted accordingly.]

"What do you mean you don't know? It's obviously thanks to Egostic."

After dropping his girlfriend off at her home.

Shadow Walker Kim Ja-hyun was eating kimchi fried rice alone at his house because he was hungry.

He muttered that while watching TV.

Since he already knew that Egostic was a hero, he wasn't particularly surprised by the news.

It was common knowledge that the terminally ill villain Egostic was sacrificing himself to protect the Republic of Korea.

"Sigh... Egostic, what kind of man are you?"

Recalling Egostic bleeding during the broadcast when he was committing terrorism with Stardust, he unconsciously let out a sigh.

Seeing rumors about Egostic's health issues, he felt that the inevitable had come. Do people know? That he's not simply unwell, but already has a set date to die.

Yet despite that, rather than despairing over his remaining life, he's a man who's sacrificing himself for the country and preparing to leave.

"...Egostic, if you leave as a villain, I will reveal the truth and restore your honor. I swear on my honor as a man to man."

He promised himself.

Until now, he hadn't said anything because Egostic seemed to not want his identity revealed for some reason.

He didn't know why Egostic was doing this, but after looking up Egostic's wiki on his own, he realized something.

"You. You love Stardust."

Debuting as Stardust, and still only looking for Stardust even now.

Seeing that, he understood. This was because Egostic liked Stardust.

However, being terminally ill, even if his love was realized, it would be brief, so he was killing his own feelings and living that way.

"Sigh, such pure love... a true man..."

As he was treating his own speculation as almost fact, firmly believing Egostic to be a terminally ill romantic hero, Shadow Walker Kim Ja-hyun received a phone call.

"...Lee Seol-ah. What does she want?"

Though puzzled, Kim Ja-hyun answered the phone.

[Mr. Kim Ja-hyun. You've met with Egostic, haven't you?]

He received a very surprising question.

".....Um..."

[Don't be wary. I'm on the same side. With him. So tell me.]

"...Alright. How did you know?"

[I thought so... In that case, let's meet and talk.]

"Why?"

[Obviously to help Egostic.]

"Ah. If that's the case, then fine."

He readily agreed.

If it meant he could help Egostic.

And so.

An unofficial meeting was arranged between two of the only three A-rank heroes in the Republic of Korea.

To help an A-rank villain.

***

"...Someone must be talking about me."

"Oppa, stop digging in your ear."

"Da-in, would you like me to clean your ears?"

"What? No, I'm fine."

I responded to Su-bin who smiled kindly at me while joking.

"I'm not joking."

"Haha..."

Apparently it wasn't a joke.

Anyway, that's not what's important. The next plan is what matters.

I quietly began to contemplate while eating the peach that Su-bin had peeled for me.

"..."

...My head hurts too. Maybe I should manage Stardust's fan cafe a bit more before thinking about it.