Chapter 26

EP 6 - A Nuclear-Level Major Event (1)

Trick. Trick.

L. japonicus.

We call him 'John Dory'.

The John Dory in August is more delicious than ever. Since it begins to spawn around November, it is at its best during the summer when it is preparing for spawning.

"You almost got me fired as soon as you went missing. Do you know? I was on tenterhooks for 12 days! I had to watch you being bullied and stripped of all your personal information from your childhood...!"

I carefully picked up the silvery, glistening flesh. The elasticity came naturally from the tip of the chopsticks, and when I dipped the moist flesh into the soy sauce, my heart fluttered as if I had met my first love.

"Why do politicians unnecessarily run around accident sites and cause trouble! The whole nation went crazy and rampaged! In the meantime, all sorts of politicians rushed in like a pack of dogs!

Is this what you wanted, to be a scapegoat and a shaman for the people's anger, even if it means dying!?"

When King Wu of the Zhou Dynasty unified the world, he saw a John Dory jump onto the boat and considered it a good omen. With that sincerity, he put the John Dory in his mouth.

Ah, there's the sea in my mouth.

"......Are you really listening?"

"Yes, Aunt. I'm listening."

Uncle, who was squeezing lemon juice over the sashimi, smiled.

"Is it good?"

"Absolutely delicious."

"My Mura!"

Aunt pulled at her hair in exasperation.

"Choke!"

I provoked Aunt with precise pronunciation. Our intelligent senior lawyer, Ms. Byun So-jung, quickly flipped out and screamed.

"Hey! You! Bastard! You...!"

"Do-yeon's mom, calm down... It's Seung-moon, isn't it...?"

"I work in front of the toilet!"

"R, really?"

Would a large law firm really move a desk to the toilet? It was probably just a way of saying he was in a difficult position. However, Uncle was genuinely surprised and worried about Aunt.

"......Sigh, I should have kept my mouth shut."

Aunt, who seemed to appreciate Uncle's concern, smiled slyly and ate a piece of John Dory sashimi.

I added solemnly.

"John Dory is good for memory recovery and preventing dementia. It's especially good for indigestion and has the effect of protecting the internal organs—"

"Did you go fishing in the National Assembly?"

"Representative Yang Ban-seok has a yacht. I sometimes put worms on the hook in the West Sea."

"You really do all sorts of things......"

I threw a fact at Aunt, who was being prickly.

"What if your husband runs a fish shop and you don't know this!"

"Look at this. Are you starting a verbal fight with a lawyer?"

"Ahem! The authority of the National Assembly—"

"Ma! Stop it!"

Yeo Do-yeon growled with a menacing look. She had three pieces of John Dory sashimi in her mouth and was even using the Busan dialect.

"What the hell! Ugh!? Mura!"

Yeo Do-yeon was almost entirely wrapped in bandages. She awkwardly tried to pick up the sashimi with her left hand, which wasn't in a cast, and dropped it on the table.

I picked up the sashimi she had dropped with my chopsticks and brought it near Yeo Do-yeon's mouth, then ate it.

"Yuck!"

I got hit in the ribs with an elbow.

"How long are you going to play around like this?"

"Ah, the kid took it from me and ate it!"

"Still, you're a representative. Don't do that in front of others."

Although she and I didn't get along very well, Yeo Do-yeon nodded silently, thinking that what I said wasn't entirely wrong.

But does that mean it's okay to hit me when no one is watching? I decided to keep my mouth shut, thinking I might get hit again if I brought it up.

All the sashimi piled up on the plate disappeared into our stomachs, and Uncle brought a watermelon from the kitchen to the table.

"Oh, Mr. President, is this a freebie?"

"Ah, ah. Don't make a scene. I can't do it."

"It's hot, so it's perfect. Honey, give me a knife. I'll cut it."

The rainy season has ended.

The sweltering heat, full of moisture, has arrived, and it is the season when the John Dory is the most delicious. In Seoul, 1.4 people die per second today.

Today, our Yeo Do-sik, who exudes the charm of a middle-aged man, was wiping sweat with a handkerchief,

and Byun So-jung, who married a handsome and kind man to support him, was enjoying the view with a satisfied look.

"Is Uncle's muscle good or his face good?"

"Both."

The fact that she answered so boldly showed her personality. I asked a few questions, thinking it was a good thing.

"How was the country while I was gone?"

"......"

Aunt smiled bitterly.

"First, all the blame was poured on you."

"Huh?"

"People like you, who claim to be politicians, are the reason the country is in this state. What can two members of the National Assembly do...?"

It was a rather ironic story. Especially since the anchor on the TV in the corner of the store was enthusiastically praising me.

I have a rough idea.

The world is going to hell, but there's no one to blame.

The president is dead, and there's no clear person responsible.

In fact, the real power is Cha Jae-gyun, but he is cleverly using his subordinate as the martial law commander to act as a meat shield.

Well, this situation wasn't necessarily anyone's fault. However, if you feel bad and can't even vent, it makes you feel even worse.

But in the midst of this, I did something crazy. Probably the whole nation united in calling Seung-moon a bastard.

"Then, the reason people like me now is that they feel a bit sorry, right? After all, the person they were cursing saved 1,200 people......"

"Everyone, the media, and others are showering you with praise. If you get too excited, you might face a backlash. You."

Aunt shot back sharply and turned her head.

Ultimately, I didn't feel too bad because all her words were out of concern.

"Ah! Right. The CEO of my company asked me to have lunch the day after tomorrow. It's a bit disgusting, but it might be a good opportunity for you, so I'm telling you."

"Ah, I have an official schedule."

"Huh? What official schedule when there's no National Assembly?"

*

"Alright, one, two, three, cut!"

I sat in the middle of the wheelchair and cut the tape, and as the fireworks exploded, the camera shutters clicked like a rainstorm.

It's the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the guild's launch.

We were

under the banner that reads

'Opening of the Guild under the Monster Damage Recovery Foundation'

People will probably call it

'Guild under the Han Seung-moon Foundation'

Just then, the reporters thrust their microphones forward.

"Representative, you established the foundation even before entering Apgujeong. Could you give us a comment?"

"Regarding the Gate incident and superpowers, the state has long considered a cautious response. I hope you will see this as the fruition of those efforts."

"There are also suspicions that you have created a private organization! Isn't this a violation of the principle of non-concurrent positions?"

"I only led the establishment but do not participate in the operation."

"David Kim is a foreigner, but can he lead a public institution?"

This is the time to get angry.

"He was born and raised in Korea, served as a soldier to protect Korea, and saved 1,200 Koreans as a superpowered individual."

"Ah, that—"

"Any more questions?"

"Ah, no......"

I felt a bit sorry for the inexperienced reporter, but people wanted this kind of issue-making.

With the constant news of deaths, this kind of thing was how people were barely holding on. I subtly gave them a sense of vicarious satisfaction.

After the ceremony, as I was about to get into the car,

I met Hong Seon-ah's eyes in the crowd.

She smiled and waved. I calmly smiled and waved back, feeling like I was back in college.

I was in the drama club.

After wiping the smile off my face and getting into the car, Yang Il-ho stepped on the gas, and Lee Ho-jung, sitting in the passenger seat, began her report.

"The mayors of the three southern provinces held a joint press conference. They plan to prepare measures to accommodate refugees from the capital region."

"They must have changed their minds after getting a lot of flak."

Local government leaders had been lukewarm about accommodating refugees. They didn't mention it explicitly.

They needed to get votes from their constituents, and the residents didn't like the idea of refugees. So they ignored the refugees.

They engaged in a bit of a blame game about accommodating refugees from the capital region.

This was only possible because of me. They enjoyed the media game by viciously criticizing me.

However, with the disappearance of Han Seung-moon, this super meat shield, and the strong backlash now,

"Representative Yang Ban-seok will give them a proper beating."

Lee Ho-jung, who has been acting as my mailbox since I promoted her to chief of staff, reported as if she had been waiting for it.

"That, the knife Representative Yang often uses, you know?"

It referred to the line he had planted in the Busan District Prosecutor's Office.

"Yeah, I benefited a bit during election season."

"He's about to grab the tools from the cabinet and start swinging."

"Isn't that a bit much? How can the prosecutor of the Busan District Prosecutor's Office attack a local government leader?"

Yang Il-ho, who had been focused on driving, spoke up.

"Anyway, this field is tied by the training institute and college classmates. They usually all attack each other."

"Oh, right. You were a lawyer."

"......! Isn't that a bit much!?"

"A 7th-grade executive secretary isn't scary at all. Be grateful that I entrusted the driving to a guy who can't even use the brake with his left foot!"

"Just one time! Really!"

Lee Ho-jung smiled calmly.

"Ah! Now that I think about it, the Representative can't use the brake with his left foot, can he?"

"Are you a human being?"

You have a prosthetic leg, you bastard. If I argue about this, I'll just look pathetic, so I grabbed the back of my neck and tilted my head back.

These devilish guys continued to drive while giggling at each other.

"......I'll fire all of you someday. Really."

"Ooh. I'm sorry... "

"I'm sorry too... Brother..."

Now that everyone seems to be doing well, the usual atmosphere is back. They are the members who used to squat in the corner of the National Assembly and cook instant noodles in a messy way.

"......"

Here, Kang Seok-ho would put on a serious face and say that no matter what, they shouldn't treat their senior like that. I should tease Kang Seok-ho for being a serious guy.

I should.

"Phew......"

Kang Seok-ho joined the guild.

We closed our mouths slightly, feeling a bit empty.

"Is Seok-ho doing okay?"

"Ah, yes. I often visit him with Ho-jung. He's fine except for the two fingers he lost."

"He had burns on his lungs."

"Director Cheon Hwa came and treated him."

"Ah."

Now that I think about it, I haven't met Cheon Hwa.

I had a long-term hospital stay in a hospital in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, and then went back to my hometown to spend time with my family.

I also went on a trip to Busan with Yang Ban-seok to show my face.

However, Cheon Hwa's research institute was in Gangbuk. I couldn't go there yet as I was still in the process of recovering.

"Did you manage the research institute alone while I was gone?"

"He took care of everything from the opening to security. Now it's operating as a personal laboratory. Since there are no chemists who can handle magic... "

He has a significant burden. It's probably one of the few superpower research institutes in the world.

"......I've called a few times. I guess I should visit in person?"

"I think I'll have time from this weekend. I still have interviews and constituency office-related matters—"

Ding-ding-ding!

The ringtone I set for Representative Yang Ban-seok's call rang, and I instantly took out my phone and put it to my ear. It was almost a reflex.

-Ah. The fact that you answered right away shows that you haven't fully shed your assistant nature.

"Ah, Representative! What brings you to call?"

-Let's meet at the underground National Assembly soon.

"Huh?"

-12 members of the National Assembly have gathered.