The Tough Guy Hides the Villainess

Chapter 30

030 – Speed is 120Km

In life, it’s common for plans to change.

You intended to take just one bite, but before you knew it, you had emptied the bowl, or you thought you’d watch just one video before bed, but before you knew it, the sun had risen, right?

“Life is originally a series of endless improvisations. So from now on, we are changing the operation from reconnaissance and investigation to ‘extermination’.”

I didn’t know why Samajun, Wang Ja-hyun’s lackey, was in this abandoned factory, but it was clear he was connected to Yeom Hoon, known as ‘Yeomra’.

There was no way I could just stand by and watch when the specially wanted criminal I had been searching for with the police was in this abandoned factory.

However, Deoksoon was greatly flustered and spoke up.

“But… but I’ve heard that a 3rd-grade ability user can produce company-level firepower alone. Company-level means it’s a military unit formation, and it’s a stage where independent tactical actions become possible….”

“Miss Deokhee, the analogy doesn’t quite hit home. Can you explain it a bit more simply?”

“A company commander is usually a captain, and… our D-Class captain, Captain Kang Cheol-min, holds the same rank. Our D-Class formation is actually equivalent to a company, so… a 3rd-grade ability user is similar to the entire firepower of D-Class…”

In other words, fighting a 3rd-grade ability user was like turning the entire D-Class into an enemy.

To project such strong firepower with a single person’s strength, the potential of humans is truly astonishing.

Of course, I thought there was a fatal ‘error’ in Deoksoon’s analogy, but it would be better to show it directly rather than explain it in words.

“…What should we do? Han Namjin, what are you going to do?”

Bbangdaengi watched my expression.

Listening to Deoksoon’s story, it seemed he realized how reckless and dangerous it was to rush into that abandoned factory.

‘There’s a high probability that Yeomra’s comrades are also stationed in that factory.’

There was no guarantee that Yeomra was the only 3rd-grade ability user in that abandoned factory.

According to the information I heard from Seo Gaeul and Yoo Yeoreum, the illegal organization ‘Villainers’ spotted in this neighborhood consisted of psycho terrorists who were the first graduates of Yeongsa High School.

In other words, it’s a group, a gathering, a meeting.

At least one or two more like “Yeomra” should be considered.

If there are a few more 3rd-grade ability users with company-level firepower, does it become battalion-level, or even regiment-level?

A group of 3rd-grade awakeners─.

It must have been quite a burden for kids who haven’t even graduated high school yet.

I could feel the tension and fear spreading on everyone’s faces like paint on a white canvas.

Cowards─.

What does it matter if it’s company-level or battalion-level?

“Hey! Don’t worry, everyone! We have the backing of national power! This is a fight we can definitely win!”

“Friend, national power backing? Did you have something like that? What exactly is that backing?”

“112!”

In a world that has collapsed, it might be different, but in a world where this social system is well established, reporting to the police was a citizen’s legitimate right and duty.

Some people curse the police, calling them pigs or lazy public servants, but if you literally live in a post-apocalyptic world, you realize how much you miss those police officers… .

“The police are the people’s cane. I can say that for sure.”

“…Oh….”

Baek Yeoul, with his mouth wide open.

I didn’t like his expression.

“Bangdaeng, why.”

“I just didn’t think you’d suggest reporting to the police. You have a surprisingly sensible side? I thought you’d suggest setting the factory on fire.”

Setting an abandoned factory on fire to catch a 3rd-grade awakener?

It was one of the methods we had considered in many ways, but the problem was that the opponent was “Yeomra.”

He was a guy with high resistance to flames, enough to walk around laughing in a department store where steel frames were melting.

I still sometimes see his smiling eyes behind the gas mask in my dreams.

“Fire-type abilities are really powerful. But they have a fatal weakness. In the suffocatingly well-established order and system of the 21st century, it’s a really fatal weakness. We have to target that.”

“Weakness…?”

Vroom-.

As Bangdaeng tilted his head in confusion, a few vans stopped in front of the abandoned factory.

“Huh?”

Who made that dumbfounded sound?

It seemed like Bangdaeng.

I could empathize with the reason.

Samajun and a few shadows, including “Yeomra,” quickly darted out of the abandoned factory and quickly boarded the van.

Vroom-.

As the car started and disappeared into the distance, I thought I might miss this rare opportunity if I stayed here, and I felt like I was about to foam at the mouth.

“Chagsik! I’ll give you my business card, so contact this number and tell them what just happened! If you mention my name, something will work out! Somehow!”

“Hanamjin! What are you trying to do! Everyone’s already in the car!”

“I’ll catch up with those cars and buy some time, so you guys contact the number on the business card and wait as I said!”

# # #

“Ah, damn it, how long do we have to keep hiding like this? Ugh-. I’m sick of moving bases. Or at least assign us to a better place. Ugh-. A place like a hotel would be nice. A hotel.”

“Yeomhoon, are you really an idiot? Because of your screw-up two years ago, we’re all on the wanted list, and you think we can stay in a hotel? Just shut up.”

Vroom-.

Inside the severely rattling van.

Samajun, a student of Class F at Yeongsa High School, was sitting between a man and a woman, trembling with extreme anxiety.

Everyone sitting next to him was a member of the “Villainers,” known as super terrorists and super villains.

Samajun was afraid because he had heard from his father, a high-ranking official at a broadcasting company, what these “Villainers” had done and what they could do.

At the same time, Samajun thought they were cool.

‘They look just like people in movies.’

Samajun was an awakener.

A super elite with the concept of “explosion.”

It was a concept he acquired out of rebellion, thinking ‘I just want to burn everything down’ every time he listened to his nagging father’s drunken rants.

He could create sparks by clapping his hands.

Samajun firmly believed he was chosen and the protagonist of the world.

But after entering Yeongsa High School, Samajun thought he might not be the protagonist. He felt frustrated and discouraged by the many ‘walls.’

Moreover, recently─.

‘Because of that b*stard Hanamjin, my video spread all over Stargram…, even the old man is giving me a hard time. And Wang Jaehyun suddenly started ignoring my calls. b*stards, just wait and see.’

Samajun wanted to regain his sense of specialness.

That’s why the madmen of the “Villainers,” who acted like movie villains, seemed like cool life mentors to him.

“Hey, high schooler. You’re a fire-type ability user like me, right?”

Samajun was started by Yeomra’s words.

Yeomhoon, once called the representative fire-type ability user, was showing interest in him.

Samajun was flustered but soon regained his composure.

From noble mtl dot com

Perhaps it was an opportunity to learn know-how and skills from a senior with similar abilities.

“I… I have the concept of ‘explosion.’”

“’Explosion’? Heya, simple and powerful. But you must have a dirty personality, huh? What kind of thoughts do you have to live with to strongly desire ‘explosion’? Are you a psychopath?”

“Uh, that’s… .”

“I’m ‘Flame.’ I used to think about burning all those bullies who used to torment me. Ugh-. Look at this. Isn’t it disgusting?”

With a swift motion, Yeonhun pulled back his hair, which mostly covered his neck, revealing the burn scars to everyone.

Samajun could quickly recognize that those gruesome holes were marks left by cigarettes.

Vroom-.

At that moment, the vans lined up in front split to the left and right. One ahead was heading toward the city center, while the vehicle Samajun was in circled back through a neighborhood filled with old, abandoned houses.

“Ugh, do I really have to stake out in a neighborhood where it takes 20 minutes to walk to the convenience store for another pack of cigarettes? Why do I have to be treated like this? Hmph-. Huh-.”

Yeonhun, already tired of the boring stakeout, took out his asthma inhaler and inhaled sharply.

They continued to circle the quiet neighborhood. Repeatedly, to the point of meaninglessness.

“In this backward neighborhood, ugh-. I wonder who’s following us to make us do this─.”

Yeonhun couldn’t stand the boredom.

Then he noticed a high school student sitting next to him, fidgeting. The child was well dressed, exuding a sense of wealth and refinement.

He didn’t know the brand names, but they must be something impressive.

“Now that I think about it, the kid who bullied me had a dad who was some company president and a city council member. Maybe that’s why, no matter how much I reported it or told the teachers, nothing changed. “What about you?”

“… Huh?”

“You were one of those kids who bullied others, right? You’re a well-off student, aren’t you? I heard you’re in the F class at Yeongsa High? Kids with strong family backgrounds don’t end up in the F class, do they? “The poor kids are in the D class.”

Samajun felt nervous and flustered.

He didn’t know what would happen if he answered incorrectly here.

“W-well, it’s not that the division between the D and F classes is because of background… um… .”

“Ahh?”

“… I guess I should say I’m more of the bullied side… . You know the Je Wang Group, right? The son, Wang Jaehyun, he bullies me almost like a servant, and… .”

“Servant?”

“He said he’d give me pocket money, and if I carried his bag, he’d give me a steakhouse gift card… . Honestly, every time I took the money, my pride was so hurt… .”

“Wow, damn, how can he do that?”

Swoosh-.

Yeonhun draped his arm over Samajun’s shoulder.

And then, he spoke softly into Samajun’s trembling ear.

“You, yes you. Can I be that bread shuttle? Let’s switch. In exchange for carrying your bag, a steakhouse gifticon? If it’s that kind of bread shuttle, I want to do it.”

Khehehe-.

Everyone in the van burst into incredible laughter. Yeomhoon pulled something out of his pocket and handed it to Samajun.

It was a small, pebble-like object, the size of a fingernail.

“This is called a ‘Concept Stone.’ We’ve been researching it a lot lately. It has some slight side effects, but with this, even that guy you hate so much, Wang Jahyun─.”

Bang-! Suddenly, something collided with the van.

A frontal collision. Everyone was too stunned to react.

The van flipped over as if doing a mistake in mid-air.

Crash, thud-.

“Ah, what the hell? Ugh-.”

Creak-.

Yeomhoon, also known as “Yeomra,” crawled out of the crumpled van. Soon, Samajun desperately crawled out as well.

In front of the men lying on the ground, a man stood tall.

With his experience, Yeomhoon could tell that this man had crashed down with such force that he destroyed the front of the car.

“You, what the hell are you? Hey, Samajun. Is that the guy you mentioned, Yoo Yeoreum, the one being deployed for this mission? I heard she was a tomboy, but that’s a man.”

“Th-that, that’s not Yoo Yeoreum….”

Samajun couldn’t understand.

Why did Hanamjin, the male student he hated the most, suddenly appear?

Hanamjin brushed the dust off his legs and spoke.

“I scouted this area thoroughly this morning. Knowing that no one lives here means that no matter how much you scream, no one will come to help.”

“What? What nonsense is this?”

Yeomhoon was getting up when it happened.

“Question, what is the speed of a person running 100 meters in 3 seconds?”

“What─.”

Before he knew it, a large foot was right in front of Yeomhoon’s nose.

Thud-! With a loud noise, Yeomhoon’s body was lifted into the air.

It felt like being hit by a car speeding down the highway, his mind was dizzy.