Villain Hides His True Colors

QREAPER SCANS

A devastating terrorist attack on the Hero Training Institute in broad daylight.

It brought shock and fear worldwide.

598 people died, and more than 5,000 estimated to have been injured.

Considering that among those currently tallied were seriously injured, the percentage of deaths was expected to increase further.

[Yes! We're currently in front of the main gate of the Hero Training Institute where the attack took place. As you can see from the collapsed main building and traces of destruction everywhere, it can't be overstated the horrific act this time...]

Media outlets around the world rushed to report the incident.

No matter which TV channel, similar live footage was being broadcast, and on the internet, various social media was plastered with articles.

In today's world, villains committing crimes were a near everyday news that could be heard anytime and anywhere. Occasionally, there were even crimes that had more casualties.

Nevertheless, the reason why the incident this time had become such a hot topic was because the target was none other than the Hero Training Institute.

Normally, no matter how terrible a criminal was, it was common for them to run away from the police. The same principle applied to heroes and villains.

Until now, citizens didn't doubt such a belief and had thought that the great safeguard known as a hero could maintain society.

However, the attack this time, which had taken place in the aftermath of the demon army's attack on the hero exam sites was enough to break the beliefs of such citizens.

[The Hero Association is currently discussing the possibility of upgrading the grade of Eighth Layer Hell, which was previously red, to black like the demon army. If the agenda is passed, there will be two black-wanted groups in less than a year...]

[...Following last time, talks of the Hero Association's incompetence are spreading around the internet once again. And now, statements from various civic groups on this matter...]

[...Yes, yes. So in my opinion, this should be seen as a declaration of war. I mean. Two cases one after another. From my perspective as a profiler, this is just the beginning. Now that the crime deterrent of a hero has disappeared. From now on, a series of similar copycat criminals...]

News, internet, civic groups, TV debates, etc...Countless people were anxious and worried about the future. Was it really okay to believe in the fence called a hero?

Faced with such a situation, the Hero Association had no choice but to feel a sense of crisis.

It wasn't in their interest to lose the support of the public while non-association heroes grew in influence.

For that reason, they were resolved to settle the case quickly and reassure everyone.

As a result, in just two days, they had not only settled the case, but had also set up a memorial altar for the victims’ families.

It was like losing all your cattle but fixing the barn. Many still criticized them, saying that it was just a publicity stunt.

Nevertheless, considering their usual slow and delayed response, it was clear that this incident, whatever its intention, was handled unusually fast.

"Many people here today have come to share their grief. I'm sure words cannot express the sorrow you're all feeling deep down, but nevertheless, to those who had lost loved ones..."

On the podium, Dokgo Hakju read the memorial speech in a stifled tone. Many people watched as he gave his speech.

From the victims' families, to citizens who came after hearing the news, to students who came with their teachers as a group, and even famous politicians and celebrities.

Whimpers could be heard everywhere as cameras zoomed in on the faces of such people and broadcast live around the world.

Go Changsu, standing in one corner of the training grounds and watching the scene, quietly cursed.

"Fuck..."

Click–Click–

He clicked his lighter while holding a cigarette in his mouth. However, because of the wind, only sparks flew from the flint and it didn't ignite.

At that moment, someone snatched the cigarette from his mouth. In response, he turned his head sharply.

Standing there was a woman with a large build holding his cigarette. It was his direct superior Kim Taehi.

He glared at her with bloodshot eyes for a moment before turning his head.

"Huh? You don't have your boss in your eyes now? You're going to hit me?"

"...Tsk."

Go Changsu clicked his tongue and took out another cigarette. However, the lighter was faulty again this time.

"Fuck! Why isn't it working?!"

"Give it here."

Kim Taehi, who was standing next to him, grabbed the lighter.

Click–

Skillfully lighting it, she held out the fire to Go Changsu.

"On a windy day like today, it works well if you curl your fingers like this."

"..."

"What are you doing? The fire is going out. Hurry up and light it."

Go Changsu looked at her and the lighter alternately for a moment before lighting his cigarette. The tip of his cigarette burned red as the smoke he exhaled quickly fluttered in the wind and scattered.

A little later, still looking away from Kim Taehi, he uttered bluntly.

"Why are you here? You must be busy now that you were promoted. You don't have to come here, do you?"

Gyeonggi-do's Hero Association had suffered the most damage to their personnel this time.

They were dragged here by Pamir against their will and were brutally killed by the hands of Eighth Layer Hell. Even their bodies were beyond recoverable because they had melted.

In addition, Jenon, the Branch Manager who had led the Gyeonggi-do branch, had died in the gym.

He said he was looking for a place when he retired...

The image of Jenon's daughter looking at the sky absentmindedly was still vivid in Kim Taehi's mind.

This fucking world...

It was as if an entire branch had disappeared.

As a result, the Hero Association had chosen to entrust Kim Taehi, who was dispatched to Gyeonggi-do, to the post of Branch Manager.

According to normal procedure, it was a matter that would have taken over several months of administration.

However, for the people at the top who had wanted to stabilize the situation quickly, it didn't really matter to them who became the Branch Manager.

"...Do you think I wanted to sit here? You of all people should understand the situation!"

"Oh~ Really? You've been complaining about your narrow desk for a long time, so I thought everything went well."

"Son of a bitch...If I quit now, who's going to take care of the bereaved families of our branch?! Do you have any idea how difficult compensation screening is?"

"I don't know about such complicated things because I was originally a detective."

"Hey! Go Changsu! Are you really going to do this? Are you going to keep acting crooked like that? Huh?"

"..."

In fact, it wasn't that Go Changsu wasn't aware of the situation. The reason why Kim Taehi had accepted the promotion. And how immature and out of character his disobedience was.

However...

"Of course! Only the people in the Gyeonggi-do branch are important?! Are you saying no one else matters?"

Go Changsu's expression became distorted. With bloodshot eyes, he grabbed Kim Taehi by the collar.

"Noah! The little boy disappeared with only an arm left! Why don't you think to continue searching for him?!! Didn't our Branch Manager care a lot about Noah too?!!"

"...Let go."

"What good is that promotion? Treating it as if he had died just so you could wrap up the case quickly!"

"I said let go."

"Why am I here?! If you won't search for Noah, even if it's just me...Keuaaahuk!"

Thud–!

Kim Taehi's thick fist struck Go Changsu's abdomen. His body flew like a bowling pin and rolled across the training grounds before hitting a tree trunk.

"Son of a bitch. Listen to me when I say it nicely. Huu..."

"Keuhuk...kek! Kek! What the hell..."

Kim Taehi shook off her hand and looked at Go Changsu who was on the ground with tears and snot running down his face.

She took out a cigarette and skillfully lit it.

Smokes in the shape of a doughnut scattered in the air.

"Shuu~ Hu~"

"?!"

Go Changsu watched with his eyes wide open.

Who was Kim Taehi? Her personality and way of speaking may be dirty, but wasn't she the most spotless person in terms of self-image?

How could she be smoking?

"Keukeuk. Why? Can't I smoke?"

Kim Taehi squatted down like a local bully and inhaled the cigarette confidently.

"Haa~ It's been a while since I smoked, so I feel dizzy. When I was young, I would burn two packs a day..."

"...I didn't know you smoked."

"Right. I stopped once I had a daughter."

At Kim Taehi's words, Go Changsu' eyes widened again. She had a daughter?

With an unknown sense of betrayal for having not told him, he asked.

"You...have a family?"

"What? You're shocked because I look like I can't have a family, right?"

* * *

[ Translator - Yasi ]

[ Proofreader - Karane ]

* * *

"N-no, that's not what I'm saying."

Go Changsu scrambled up his guard to avoid her fists.

As he did that, Kim Taehi stared at her cigarette and flicked the end on the ground.

Soon, she said with a bitter smile.

"I did. The most beautiful daughter in the world. But...I miss her a lot these days."

"By chance...are you living apart?"

"No. It's nothing like that. She died a few years ago. Because of terrorism."

"Ah..."

Go Changsu pursed his lips. He never could have imagined something like that happening when he thought about how Kim Taehi usually presented herself day to day.

"I...I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked..."

"Most people already know. You're just slow on the information. Keukeuk. But don't worry about it. You seem to be in a similar situation, so what's the point of apologizing to one and the same?"

"You...knew?"

Instead of answering, Kim Taehi stood up and rubbed the cigarette butts on her pocket. She stared into space as if she was thinking about something for a moment, and then she said with a light smile.

"What an amazing kid. That boy."

Go Changsu knew she was talking about Noah without her having to say who.

When he recalled Noah's face, his facial muscles wriggled as if they were broken. The emotion that had been subdued like a lie until now became turbulent again.

He gritted his teeth.

"...Yes. He was an amazing kid."

When they first met, Noah looked more unhappy than anyone else.

A father who was a waste and drug addict. Born to a victim who was kidnapped.

Especially after his mother was killed, his eyes were always looking at death.

So he had vowed to save him when his revenge was over.

To the boy who didn't know joy, he wanted to let him know that this world was still worth living.

However, Noah had managed to weather the adversities with his own strength, becoming a great hero in the process and saving countless lives.

Looking back on it, maybe he, who had lived without knowing anything other than revenge, had also been saved by him.

Truly, he was an amazing kid.

Kim Taehi seemed to have thought the same way.

"I don't know about you, but when I first met Noah, I actually thought I would fill my daughter's vacancy through him. With the excuse that I was doing it all for him."

"..."

"It was a terrible thing to do. Maybe the reason why he refused to be my adopted son at that time was because he had noticed it."

"That's..."

"But I can say one thing for certain. It may have been like that at the start, but Noah is not someone's else's replacement. He's precious to me. So...how could I give up on him so easily?"

"Y-you mean...?"

Go Changsu's eyes rose. The moment a guess flashed through his mind and he was about to blurt it out,

Huuk–

Kim Taehi approached him and whispered.

"Shut up and listen. I'm...guessing there's a good chance he's still alive."

"?!"

"No, I'm already moving with that conviction."

Go Changsu covered his mouth to calm down his surprised heart. He sat up straight and asked her with a serious expression.

"Do you have any evidence?"

"I handed the kid a hotline when we first met. It's also the same bio-mana rechargable that headquarters uses these days."

"Wh-what do you mean?"

The bio-mana rechargeable Kim Taehi spoke of was a mechanism in which electricity was automatically charged through the weak mana flowing from a person.

Unless there was something wrong with the machine, it wouldn't turn off as long as

you kept it on you.

"So if he's really dead, the hotline would have run out of mana and it would no longer be possible to reach him. But..."

Kim Taehi took out her hotline. There was a clear '[CONNECTED]' next to the name Choi Noah.

"N-Noah!! What are you doing?! Call him right now!"

"Shh! Calm down! There's a possibility that Noah will be in danger if we contact him now."

"Wh-what do you mean? The hell!"

"Maybe...I'm not sure, but I think the kid is intentionally hiding himself."

"Wh-why would he do that?"

"That's..."

Kim Taehi confided her speculation to Go Changsu.

The Inspector and S-Rank hero who had suddenly visited the Gyeonggi-do branch.

And even rumors of the World Government intervening in the Hero Association's decisions, which has been spreading secretly for a long time.

If it hadn't been for the sudden attack from Eighth Layer Hell this time, they would have arrested Noah indiscriminately.

"Therefore, I think the reason why Noah is hiding has something to do with the sudden arrest order. He's got a good head on his shoulders."

"This...I'm going to tear those bastards!!"

Go Changsu became agitated and hit the tree trunk he was leaning on.

However, with the exception of a little spirit affinity, his body, which was just an ordinary man, left no trace on the tree.

On the contrary, only his fist that had hit the tree swelled.

He felt as if it represented his situation. An incompetent person who was inferior to the trees on the side of the road.

What the hell should I do...

According to Kim Taehi's hypothesis, what Noah was dealing with now was nothing short of the world itself.

If the Hero Association was a colossal organization, then beyond that would be the World Government...

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!"

"Calm down and think straight. Actually, there's nothing we can do for that kid right now."

"Damn it! I already know that!"

However...

...Was it okay to stay still?

He had never felt so helpless as he did now. Even though Noah needed help more than ever, he could only sit and watch...

At that moment, a bombshell came out of Kim Taehi's mouth.

"I decided to get rid of those dirty guys and become the top of the Hero Association myself."

"?!"

"In fact, that was why I accepted the position of Branch Manager. Even if just a little, I'm sure it'll be advantageous to build up my influence."

"A-ah..."

"I originally didn't want anyone to give me the position of Branch Manager. I didn't want to eye a position of power once I retired as a hero. But for now, this is the best thing I can do."

When she had been in despair for days, she calmly judged the situation and was looking for ways to help.

Go Changsu felt ashamed and couldn't bear to look her in the face.

"B-Branch Manager...I-I..."

Kim Taehi held out her thick palm.

"So can you lend me your strength? So that this doesn't happen again when the kid comes back one day."

She looked at Go Changsu and smiled faintly.

What should he say? A lot of thoughts flashed through his head.

Did she have any specific plans? Wasn't she afraid of such a huge enemy? What would she do if she failed?

And...

What could I do without any abilities?

However, what came out of his mouth contradicted his thoughts.

"Alright. Let's try it!"

He firmly clasped Kim Taehi's hand as a smile spread across their faces.

They, who shared the same wound, if they tried harder than anyone else for justice, he thought they might be able to change this dirty world.

Yes, Noah. I'll make sure you have a place to come back to, so until then...Please take care of yourself.

While Go Changsu became heated with resolve, Kim Taehi, who was next to him, spoke as if she had suddenly remembered something.

"But you little punk. What's with smoking outside? Think you're the only one going through a rough time? Keuheuk."

"..."

Go Changsu's face became as red as a boiled octopus.