Chapter 438 - Side Story. Lily Of The Valley (12)

# After the Han-eun Group Terrorist Incident

After this incident, there were many social repercussions.

First, the fact that Han-eun Group appeared with numerous supernatural ability users.

This news was actually hotter in foreign media than in the Republic of Korea. In a world where abilities were supposed to have disappeared, how could countless ability users appear in addition to the two existing heroes? What secret was hidden in the Republic of Korea?!

As a result, many former heroes, villains, international association representatives, and corporate managers lined up to visit Korea... but the Korean Association, sensing something suspicious, blocked them all, rendering their efforts futile.

And amid all this, the reaction of Korean citizens was...

Perhaps because Stardust and I already existed? It wasn't as big as one might expect.

People could have been frightened by the terrorist attack itself, but this was a place where several terrorist attacks used to occur regularly like everyday occurrences. The three-year gap wasn't enough to erase the safety insensitivity ingrained in the DNA of Koreans in this world.

...Rather, people watched with excited eyes, saying it was thrilling to have a terrorist attack after such a long boring period, which said it all.

Anyway, the place that suffered the most damage was none other than the Hero Association, which had to relocate to temporary quarters after their headquarters was bombed...

"Damn, those wretched Han-eun Group bastards...!"

At the Hero Association (temporary) headquarters.

In the center of an underground bunker prepared for possible emergencies, the Director spoke while trembling with anger.

"Because of these guys, we've been driven out of our luxurious association building in its prime location, what is this...!"

"Please calm down, Director. It's currently under repair..."

After venting his frustration briefly, the Director wiped his bald head and spoke.

"Haa. Still, now that we've made all the preparations... tell them to just try showing up one more time. Lee Seol-ah, are all preparations complete?"

In response to the Director's question, Lee Seol-ah, who was sitting in front of a computer drinking wine, nodded and said:

"Yes. We're currently monitoring all CCTV in every district nationwide 24/7. If anything unusual happens, an alarm will sound immediately."

"Good. Last time we were caught off guard by the sudden attack, but this time will be different. If even one of them shows up, we'll track them to their roots and destroy their headquarters..."

The Director laughed sinisterly as he said this.

...He looked somewhat like a third-rate villain boss, but he was actually the head of the Hero Association, the proud side of justice...

Anyway, after saying that, the Director pointed at me and continued.

"...And. According to what Egostic has told us... it seems certain that the Han-eun Group has discovered a way to artificially awaken abilities. If this technology were to leak..."

After saying this, the Director clenched his fist and trembled.

Muttering to himself about why such a thing had to happen near his retirement, he became lost in his own world.

In his place, Stardust continued speaking.

"...So. Currently, we can only wait for the Han-eun Group to appear again. The mastermind, Kim Sun-woo, is likely trying to conquer our country using the ability users he has awakened. The terrorist attacks will probably continue."

Yes.

I nodded at those words.

To summarize, after I relayed what I heard from Seo-eun to the association... a clear position on the Han-eun Group was established.

The first point seemed almost certain based on various circumstances and Seo-eun's words.

And the second point... well, it was obvious. Why else would they commit terrorism and try to kill me and Stardust? They're trying to bring down the association and take over the government by force.

...If not that, they're hoping for the destruction of the Republic of Korea, which I hoped wasn't the case. Surely they couldn't be that insane.

Anyway, since we didn't know where the Han-eun Group was hiding, waiting for them to appear again was our best option.

"Then for now, let's wait for them to show up again."

And so the final meeting regarding the Han-eun Group ended.

The next time we meet would probably be when they show themselves again.

After the meeting, I returned home.

I immediately went to the basement, and as soon as I entered the large underground space created for training, I saw:

"Hah...!"

Papapapapapapak

It was Seo-eun, wearing a suit, flying around and dodging automatic machine gun fire set up for training.

As if she had been able to fly from the beginning, she was moving freely through the air despite having started training not long ago.

Wrapped in a silver steel suit, Seo-eun noticed me entering the room and called out from the air with a welcoming voice:

"Oppa...! You're back?"

"Yeah. Have you been training well?"

"Yes!"

With those words, Seo-eun descended to the floor.

After the suit's development was completed.

She had been training intensively every day, determined to crush the Han-eun Group alongside me.

...Without even going to school.

'Is this right?'

As her guardian, I had some doubts about this...

But well. Life is more important, isn't it? I thought it wasn't bad from a self-defense perspective. It's not like all abilities had disappeared, and the Han-eun Group, Seo-eun's greatest enemy, had reappeared.

"So. Have you gotten the hang of it now?"

"Yes! Honestly, oppa, I could go into the field right now."

Seo-eun pushed back the helmet of her suit, revealing her silver-haired face as she spoke to me.

The confident expression on her face exuded self-assurance.

And honestly, she had reason to be confident.

Having created a training ground and practiced herself, I could see she was quite good. The way she controlled the suit freely and flew through the air... anyone watching would think she had been doing this for years.

...No. Actually, is it natural for someone so intelligent to be good at this too?

Still. I needed to verify her skills.

With that thought, I grinned and said:

"Then Seo-eun, we should check once. Want to have a training match with oppa?"

"Heheh. Yes!! Honestly, you might need to be careful now, oppa? You could lose~"

Seo-eun said, placing her hands on her hips and speaking proudly.

Oh ho. She's really confident.

I should properly check her skills.

I slowly rose into the air, holding a gun with the bullets removed.

Let's see how good Seo-eun really is.

***

Anyway, days passed like this.

Seo-eun practiced handling the suit diligently, both alone and with me, and after mastering it to some extent, she returned to school.

Maintaining our daily lives while preparing for the Han-eun Group who could appear at any time.

In this way, daily life flowed somewhat similarly to before.

...But there was another difference.

"Oppa... can I sleep with you tonight too..?"

Namely, Seo-eun frequently came to my bed at night carrying her pillow.

One day when I had business at the association and came home late at dawn, I found her already lying in my bed, her hair spread out, fast asleep.

...For reference, that day I turned on the light without thinking and apparently screamed in surprise when I saw Seo-eun lying in my bed...

The reason Seo-eun was doing this was obviously because of the Han-eun Group's appearance.

...Why she was doing this, what thoughts made her unable to sleep alone. Seo-eun had never directly told me, and always avoided answering, but...

"...No. I'm not, sob, abandoned..."

The words she sometimes muttered in her sleep.

...And, through information from the original story. I could roughly guess.

So whenever Seo-eun was like this at night, I would quietly pat her back to comfort her.

At least then, her sleep-talking would decrease, and she would fall back into a deep sleep.

Anyway, because of this issue.

...Looking at it from all angles, taking down the Han-eun Group seemed urgent. Even just to break Seo-eun's trauma.

So I came to the point of actually waiting for the Han-eun Group's attack.

And finally.

That day came.

[Egostic! The Han-eun Group bastards have finally attacked! They're currently attacking three broadcasting stations simultaneously!!]

"Yes, understood. I'll deploy immediately."

As I hung up the phone after responding.

Perhaps fortunately it was the weekend. Seo-eun, who had been eating melon beside me, jumped up from her seat after hearing the phone call and said:

"Oppa! Are we finally deploying now?"

"Yes. Seo-eun, grab your suit."

"...! Yes!!"

Seo-eun ran excitedly to the basement.

Watching her from behind, I smiled bitterly.

...She looks excited now because she doesn't know anything yet.

I wonder. Will she be able to maintain that innocence when fighting villains who are also human beings?

With that thought, I gathered my mask and guns.

Still. I need to watch over her well so nothing happens.

And.

'Today will be a day when I turn on the broadcast after a very long time.'

I grinned as I picked up the camera.

I should introduce our new face too. Yes.

***

[Breaking news))) Mangostick broadcasting after 100,000 years lolololol]

[Finally Mango-ham broadcast finally starting lololol]

[Like if you're part of Team Mango who became grandpas waiting lol Let's go~~~]

[Wait who's that ham in the suit next to him????]

And, the moment the Han-eun Group's terrorist attack occurred.

Egostic's fan cafe was in an uproar over the broadcast that had finally been turned on.