Chapter 58

Chapter 57

The immigrants and refugees with abilities talk about those who remain in Korea.

- Are they idiots?

It’s a curse.

The reason for the cursing is, of course, one.

- Why do they stay in Korea like fools, even after hearing such insults? What for?

- Why don’t you bring your family and come to a foreign country like me? I can support you, can’t I?

- Even if you say that the mana is full in Korea, the amount of mana you gain is the same as a mouse’s tail, no matter where you are. Is there a big difference?

- No, why don’t you leave Korea with such a great sense of patriotism?

It’s incomprehensible.

It’s incomprehensible why heroes who remain in Korea stay there.

- If you go to another country, you can receive better treatment than an S-class in your own country. Why don’t you immigrate?

Everyone thinks this.

In fact, many people have left Korea for this reason.

Most of them have escaped from Korea but haven’t immigrated to other countries, or they want to continue living in Korea but have left to avoid being manipulated like tools.

The organization has been trying to recruit these people intensively.

Because their 'anger towards the country' can be the organization’s greatest weapon.

Of course, this applies to other organizations within Korea as well.

"Listening to people who keep telling Seul-hee to have a baby and get pregnant, I feel like I should say something."

The organization has a repertoire of persuasion for oppressed ability users.

"Isn’t it unpleasant to keep hearing such things from them? Doesn’t it make you angry and want to go on a rampage?"

"Ji-hwan?"

Of course, he doesn’t fall for it right away.

"What I mean is, isn’t the country making Baek Seul-hee go on a rampage?"

"That... probably won’t happen."

Baek Seul-hee was confident that she wouldn’t go on a rampage.

"To be honest, I don’t feel as much stress in that area as others do."

"You came to me to vent, didn’t you?"

"I’m the type of person who, if someone listens to me, can pour out my feelings for the day and feel better the next day."

"Have you ever heard anyone else complain about feeling stifled?"

"Not yet. Because..."

Baek Seul-hee looked up at the sky again, blankly.

"Everyone who could have told me such stories is either dead or has left."

"......"

"Ji-hwan, so many people have died or been injured. What percentage of them do you think went on a rampage?"

"Let me guess what Seul-hee wants to say."

It’s time to plant a thought in Baek Seul-hee’s mind.

"All the so-called genuine patriotic ability users are dead, right?"

"......"

"Those who immigrated have been erased as Koreans and have died socially. When someone goes on a rampage in Korea, they are mercilessly killed."

"......"

"Even though they claim to be a peaceful and polite country, they are doing more terrible things behind the scenes than other countries."

Baek Seul-hee’s expression began to harden.

"...That’s what the villains, especially the Imma Mangryang, say."

Of course, I have prepared a logical escape route.

"I can point out the contradictions of this country. While an ordinary person like Do Ji-hwan can live as a salaryman regardless of the state of the country, Seul-hee, as an ability user, must know more than I do. As a result, you naturally feel frustrated and disillusioned, but... you can’t let go of it."

"What is it?"

"The thread of hope."

At my words, Baek Seul-hee closed her eyes.

"The belief that this land can still change. The conviction that the people living on this land can progress in the right direction as you think. The hope that, even if the world changes and collapses, a 'bright future' as shown in various works will come. Isn’t that what supports you?"

"......"

"Seul-hee seems to have more of these lifelines than others. When others let go of them and go crazy or go on a rampage, Seul-hee seems to be mentally strong enough to consider whether to let go or not. But those with short lifelines or weak grips..."

"Have all become villains and died."

Baek Seul-hee’s voice sank.

"Yura, who lost her childhood friend, Chang-hyun, who fulfilled his military duty as a hero because every man has to serve, and Jung-hwan, who entered politics to voice the concerns of ability users and was betrayed, all became villains and died."

There are people with grievances.

There are those who, from the perspective of the ruling class, engage in 'treasonous' acts.

"Every time I see the government forcibly turning people, even those we don’t call villains, into villains and dealing with them, my thoughts about this country keep changing."

They have turned everyone who doesn’t follow the country’s orders, who doesn’t succumb to the country’s threats, who doesn’t fall for the country’s inducements, and who resists even a little, into villains.

"The mindset I had when I read biographies of great people as a child, thinking 'I want to be like this,' or the ethics I learned from firefighters and social workers who work for the people in various parts of society... the 'ideological education' I received as a child seems to be collapsing in the face of the dirtiness of reality."

"So, what will Seul-hee do? Will you immigrate?"

"Those who immigrate all become 'Steven Cho,' right?"

"Yes. You won’t be able to set foot on Korean soil for the rest of your life."

Due to the timing being after the Great Cataclysm, some historical events that didn’t happen have occurred in this world.

A top singer in the 90s fled to avoid military service.

- Now that you’ve become an American, how do you feel?

- If I knew I would become an American, I would have fulfilled my military duty! Who knew Korea would become like this!

He blames himself, but no one in Korea welcomes Steven.

The same applies to ability users.

No matter the reason they leave, the government has turned all those who have immigrated or sought asylum into 'Stevens.'

Public opinion and the media have been mobilized, and the government has spread related materials, so everyone has cursed and criticized them.

Unaware that their actions are creating more Stevenses.

"If Seul-hee were to immigrate or seek asylum, you wouldn’t become 'Steven' but 'Baek Seul-hee.'"

"Yes. If I leave this country, it won’t just be a ban on entry; my entire life will be negated. They will call me something like 'Shiroseki Yukihara.'"

"Will you seek asylum in Japan?"

"Absolutely not. They will call me in such a way, as if I shouldn’t even be named."

"And the country will turn you into such a person if you try to leave Korea in any way."

"...Yes."

Baek Seul-hee became depressed again.

"Can this country change?"

Finally.

Baek Seul-hee began to talk about her true reason for not leaving.

"I can’t do it alone, but if we gather people and unite our intentions, can we change it for the better?"

"Seul-hee can change it with her own strength. However, the path will be difficult and arduous, and the government will humiliate you in every way."

This is a reality that has already happened.

"Perhaps the government has even reached out to villains to eliminate ability users who show a negative stance towards the government."

"......To that extent."

"Who knows? They might hire hitmen like in movies. For example, they might cleverly set up a situation where a hero kills someone and then turn them into a villain who deserves execution."

"Do you mean...Goblin?"

"Yes. Ah, I’m not defending it. Goblin is a murderer."

I don’t deny that I am a murderer.

"Among those executed by Goblin, there are certainly many who couldn’t be controlled by the government and couldn’t be eliminated by the government’s own means, so the government sets up a situation for Goblin to execute them."

"......The more I listen, the more I feel numb towards the country, Ji-hwan."

Baek Seul-hee looked at me intently and asked.

"If Ji-hwan were an S-class ability user like me and in the same situation, what would you do?"

"Me?"

"Yes. I’m not teasing you. I’m genuinely curious."

"I... have already chosen my path."

"I don’t know much about politics. No matter how much the country shows a miserable face, it’s difficult for me to change it on my own. Everyone has their own talents."

I don’t have that talent.

"I will find someone who can. Someone who can shake this country from the inside, the outside, or both, and control it strongly."

But I know someone with that talent.

"I will work my whole life for someone who can work for everyone without oppression and truly make this country great."

There is one person.

"Everyone has different perspectives on changing this country. Unlike Seul-hee, who is kind... I have this thought."

A person who wants to purge all the ruling class and place people like Seul-hee in key positions to truly work for the country and its people.

"Those who are not ability users but use ability users as tools for their own desires must have their heads broken."

"...Is it the Hwalbin Party?"

"No. The Hwalbin Party will only end in destruction. The important thing is the recreation