Chapter 447 - Side Story. Lily Of The Valley (21)

A soft light, a madly spreading soft light, in the deepest part of Han-Eun Group where the light was spreading madly.

There, Han Seo-eun's mind was racing as she confronted Kim Sun-woo.

'What is this...'

Stay calm, stay calm.

After taking a small deep breath, Han Seo-eun quickly analyzed what Kim Sun-woo had said.

Everyone's predictions were wrong.

What Kim Sun-woo was aiming for wasn't simple terrorism, but something more sophisticated.

Abilities come from the gods.

As long as humans receive abilities from gods, humans will forever be mere puppets of the gods.

Therefore, he would make all humans obtain abilities voluntarily to create a new humanity.

Since he himself was already dying, it was just a sacrifice unrelated to his self-interest.

It sounded plausible, but when examined closely, it was nonsense.

Thinking rationally, there would be dozens of counterarguments.

But why?

Why was her heart starting to waver from the moment she heard Kim Sun-woo's maddened voice?

'No... get a grip, Han Seo-eun. Don't fall for such propaganda.'

Starting with the fact that Kim Sun-woo was already dying, her head was spinning.

How was she supposed to process the situation that her enemy, who had always only thought about killing himself... was now dying, claiming he had sacrificed himself...

'...No. Stop thinking about it. Focus. That's not what's important.'

After steadying her mental state, Han Seo-eun tried to continue her thoughts calmly.

'In the first place, if all humans had abilities...'

Even when only a few had them, there was chaos with terrorism every day. What would happen to this world if everyone had them?

It would be no different from putting a gun in a child's hands.

The world would turn into a battlefield all day long, and there would be no safe place left.

Simple fights would lead to death, potentially creating a complete dystopia.

After finishing that thought, Han Seo-eun was about to counter Kim Sun-woo with this logic, but...

'Ha. Right. Fights could break out. The world might become a battlefield.'

'But so what?'

'In fact, the world is already full of fighting. Even without violence, human relationships are already full of conflicts. It's imperfect.'

'So what difference would it make if abilities were granted? On the contrary, wouldn't victims who are defenseless against violence without any means to protect themselves gain an opportunity to fight back?'

Her quick mind had already predicted how Kim Sun-woo would counter if she said that.

...It was sophistry, but getting caught up in such wordplay would only disadvantage her, who was weak in this area.

Therefore, time was all that mattered to her.

"...."

After thinking all this through in just a few seconds, she glanced down slightly at Da-in.

"...Ugh."

His breathing was becoming irregular, as if he would soon wake up.

Yes. She just needed to hold out until Da-in woke up. After that, he would take care of everything. It was always her brother who understood situations and found solutions...

So, what she needed to do now was to play along with Kim Sun-woo's sophistry.

...And find a way to destroy that unidentified machine behind Kim Sun-woo.

Now it was her turn to counter Kim Sun-woo's words. An attack that would strike his weakness so decisively that he couldn't counter.

And what material she could use for that attack.

She knew all too well.

...All too well.

"...Ha. Right. You just want to make the world greater? And you've sacrificed your life for that?"

At those words that Han Seo-eun finally muttered in a low voice,

Kim Sun-woo nodded and said with a smile.

"Yes, child. You finally understand."

And his words that were about to continue,

Were cut off by Han Seo-eun's cold words.

"...Disgusting."

Those words came out coldly, as if she genuinely felt revulsion.

At those words, Kim Sun-woo frowned.

But before he could respond,

Han Seo-eun opened her mouth in anger, glaring at his eyes with contemptuous eyes.

"...You, you! You've always been like this! Deceiving and manipulating people with nonsensical sophistry, and now what? Playing the saint? It's not even funny."

"You're doing this for the world? For humanity? Right... A person who cares so much about humanity! Would kidnap and torment innocent me and my sister...? Do such things...?"

At Han Seo-eun's words filled with bitter hatred,

Kim Sun-woo just stood silently with his mouth closed.

Seeing him like that made Han Seo-eun even more upset.

With eyes that had unconsciously turned red, she cried out as if spitting blood.

"Don't be mistaken. You're a disgusting piece of trash. No matter how much you pretend to care about the world, I and! My colleagues in heaven... friends... family!! We all know you're evil!!! If it weren't for you, I, I..."

At Seo-eun's wailing cry,

Kim Sun-woo, who had been listening quietly,

Finally opened his mouth.

"...Right."

"......"

"Your words are correct, Han Seo-eun. The sins I've committed cannot be undone."

"...What?"

"In this world, you're the only one left who can raise your voice against me like that... and punish my original sin. So, I'll say this to you on behalf of all those who suffered at my hands."

"You... what are you thinking..."

"I'm sorry, Han Seo-eun. I truly did terrible things to you and them. I'll carry this sin with me to hell."

As she watched Kim Sun-woo bow his head with those words,

Han Seo-eun

was engulfed in even greater anger.

Yes. She had imagined it before. Kim Sun-woo apologizing for everything he had done to her... begging her for his life.

So, this situation could be seen as what she had wanted, but... no. Not like this.

"...You, are you crazy? An apology? Ha. Do you think you can be forgiven for everything you've done with just empty words?!"

To Han Seo-eun, who was lashing out in full anger,

Kim Sun-woo,

Raised his head again and spoke calmly.

"Of course I can't be forgiven. This sin is an original sin that I must take full responsibility for. But, Han Seo-eun... there's something you're misunderstanding."

Saying that,

Kim Sun-woo brought up these words.

"Innocent and blameless person? Child. You still don't know. The truth about who you are."

"Shut up! More sophistry, nonsense. I'm not even curious!"

Just as Han Seo-eun was about to cut off Kim Sun-woo's words,

"No! You need to know, Han Seo-eun! The truth about who you are!!"

Kim Sun-woo suddenly shouted in a loud voice.

While Han Seo-eun flinched momentarily, Kim Sun-woo continued in an unusually loud voice.

"Yes, it's true. I, under my direction, conducted experiments at Han-Eun Group to artificially create supernatural abilities. It was on the orders of the executives of Han-Eun Group, whom I have now all killed."

"And as you know, this process required human experimentation. We needed talented children. That was the four of you."

"But!!! We didn't just take any children for experiments. Under the hypothesis that abilities manifest in those who have some defect, we only picked up such children from orphanages and streets."

With those words,

Kim Sun-woo told her with a twisted smile as if it was amusing.

"And Han Seo-eun."

"The reason you were chosen was because you were the most evil person among all the humans we found."

"Pure evil. A being whose birth was a mistake. Someone who would eventually make everyone unhappy and kill the person most precious to them with their own hands. That's you, Han Seo-eun!"

To Kim Sun-woo who spoke with a voice drenched in madness,

Han Seo-eun shouted, filled with unbelievable anger.

"Shut up!!! Now you're saying, what? The reason it was okay to kidnap and experiment on me was because I was evil? Crazy talk... You want me to believe that? Are you out of your mind?"

"Haha... Hahaha!!! Yes! I knew you would deny it like that. Of course, you're not evil... what's wrong is this world and people... that's what you'd say. But, Han Seo-eun. Do you know what?"

Saying that, Kim Sun-woo snapped his fingers with his hand that wasn't pointing lightning at Da-in.

With that,

The large walls around them flashed brightly.

As Han Seo-eun flinched and looked around,

Kim Sun-woo opened his mouth with a voice that sounded like he was smiling.

"Do you know what, Han Seo-eun!!! After losing my ability, I continued my research and accidentally discovered technology to handle dimensions. And I became able to see other dimensions!"

"And do you know what kind of person you were in another world? In a world where that man doesn't exist!!!"

With those words,

He snapped his fingers.

And with that, different videos appeared on the gray walls.

[Aaaaargh! Save me!!]

[Emergency situation! Currently, a large-scale prison break has occurred at the villain prison Carceris due to the S-class villain White Witch! All citizens please evacuate...]

A burning city.

Flames flickering, numerous villains running wild, abusing citizens in between.

And at the center.

With long white hair.

Looking more mature than now.

A woman wrapped in a snow-white cape was flying through the sky with cold eyes, leading numerous weapons.

And looking at that woman,

Han Seo-eun, with a pale expression, unconsciously muttered.

"No..."

No.

That can't be.

That's nonsense. I, I. I couldn't possibly...

And before Han Seo-eun could finish her thought,

With a delighted voice,

Kim Sun-woo drove in the final nail, as if she couldn't escape.

"Yes!! That is your true form, Han Seo-eun! One who rose to the pinnacle of villainy on her own without anyone's direction. The one who caused an unprecedented mass prison break in history and died fighting Stardust to the end in that world!!!"

"Humanity's enemy. S-class villain White Witch."

"That is your true nature, Han Seo-eun!!!"

Kim Sun-woo's shouting words gradually became faint to her ears.

No.

I.

I.

I couldn't possibly be like that.

[Kyaaaaaaah!!]

[Stop it, White Witch....! Why, why are you doing this!!!]

[Ah. So you're Stardust. Nice to meet you. Why am I doing this? Well...]

'Pure evil.'

'A being whose birth was a mistake. Someone who would eventually make everyone unhappy and kill the person most precious to them with their own hands. That's you, Han Seo-eun!'

"No..."

No, I... I...

Where did it go wrong?

Why did I become like that?

As I fell into panic,

In my ears,

My voice, so familiar,

Entered clearly.

[Yeah... I just did it because I was angry. Why? Is that not allowed?]

Watching the video in a daze, what I saw,

Was my image speaking nonchalantly, as if not understanding what was wrong. Looking at myself,

I quietly thought.

Where did it go wrong?

Why did I become like that in that world?

Because I didn't meet my brother?

Because I couldn't go out into the world?

Because I fell into distrust of humans?

Because I abandoned everyone and ran away alone?

Because I was kidnapped by Han-Eun Group?

...No.

'Was it wrong from the beginning...'

With that final thought,

My consciousness sank into that deep place.

Beyond there,

Toward the earliest memory.

***

At that moment.

"Ugh... haa, haa...."

Da-in, who finally regained consciousness in that chaotic situation,

"No... no, I am..."

"This is your true nature, Han Seo-eun!!!"

Seeing Seo-eun collapsing before his eyes and the videos projected on the walls,

Even with his hazy consciousness, he couldn't help but think quietly to himself.

Ah. This is bad.