Chapter 60

EP.60 Public Opinion

The next morning.

"Are you really okay now?"

"Yeah, yeah. Ah, my condition has improved again, you know?"

"That's strange... It can't have gotten better in just one day... You're not just pretending to be better because you don't want to go to the hospital, are you?"

In the living room, I told them that my condition had improved after I woke up.

However, even after telling them, no one believed me, so I showed them by instantly teleporting around the room. I mean, what am I doing this early in the morning...

"What... You really seem to be better now?"

"Huff, huff. That's right. Do you think I'm lying?"

"That's strange... How could it have improved in just one day?"

Everyone seemed puzzled by the sudden change from yesterday, when I was coughing up blood and on the verge of death, but with my "it's all good~" attitude, the matter was brushed aside.

Only Hayul, who was stroking her younger brother's head, saying it was fortunate, quietly smiled.

I guess my mood is a bit better today. Honestly, I was turning into a monster last night, caught up in the early morning sentiment, and it was a bit scary... Feeling so much guilt and self-reproach made me feel a bit sorry.

Well, even though he looks like a grown-up, he's still only a second-year high school student. Now, next month, it will be a new year, so he'll be a third-year, right?

Thinking about it, Se-eun is now in her third year of middle school, so she'll be a high school student next month. She still seems like a middle school student, though. Sigh.

Anyway, since it's already morning, I decided to check the results of the previous terror attack.

Seubin had already organized all the data. I mean, she looks so busy taking care of three kids these days, when did she have time to do this?

In conclusion, the results of my recent terror attack are as follows:

The complete collapse of the Mapo Bridge.

The bridge was completely destroyed, with all the pillars blown up, making it look as if there had never been a bridge there. It's said that it will take years to clear the debris and rebuild the bridge.

Great. Perfect.

Now, that crazy black tentacle monster won't be able to bulldoze Seoul like in the manga.

Thinking about how it would charge forward recklessly and end up sinking into the Han River, I already feel excited. Ah, I have to get some popcorn and watch it live on the day.

The beginning of despair? No such thing! I'll eliminate any elements that could make my life miserable in advance. For the sake of Stardust, and for my own sake.

Anyway, since it will take about three years to restore even one pillar of the Mapo Bridge, everything is perfectly prepared.

According to my memory, the incident will happen in March next year, so in about four months. Just in case, like when I recruited Hayul, I might have misremembered the time or the incident might happen earlier, so I destroyed it with plenty of time to spare. There's nothing to fear now!

Thus, my goal of destroying the bridge was perfectly completed.

I also heard some unexpected news.

"What? More people are cursing me now?"

"Yes, Oppa. Now, public opinion is almost entirely against you."

"Well... I mean, becoming a terrifying villain was my goal, so I expected to be cursed. But suddenly? Even when I tried to sink a ship, tie a train to the tracks, and drop a plane, they were still praising me, but now?"

They were silent when I tried to massacre 50 people, but this time, even though it was a public vote, why?

"This is how it happened..."

The story Se-eun told me was quite absurd.

While the terror attack was happening, everyone was saying, "Haha, ten thousand won, sweet deal," but when it was concluded that I had taken ten thousand won from seven million people, people were quite shocked.

Those who had said that it was impossible to reach five million in such a short time, and that it would be a stretch to even reach one million, all clammed up and pretended they didn't know.

In the end, this proved that humans are selfish.

However, things got a bit strange from there.

Foreign news started reporting on this incident.

They covered the event in a small peninsula in the East, saying, "Seven million South Koreans actively participated in a terror attack for their own benefit," and portrayed it as a tragic loss of humanism.

In short, South Korea became a laughingstock. Foreign netizens also tsked, saying, "Look at those selfish people."

Then, the nationalistic TV channels, which usually promote Korea, were shocked because there was nothing but criticism of Korea in foreign communities.

In response, these nationalistic TV channels, unable to live up to their name, started posting videos criticizing Egoistic, blaming him for everything.

The conclusion was that all these reactions from foreigners were due to the heinous and immoral Egoistic, and that the citizens of the Republic of Korea were innocent victims manipulated by him.

These baseless and illogical videos quickly spread among the middle-aged population, who were heartbroken by the foreign news...

Journalists then picked up these videos and produced more articles, ultimately concluding that they were victims of Egoistic, who manipulated people's hearts.

In fact, if they hadn't taken the money, it would have been fine, but blaming everything on Egoistic was sheer hypocrisy.

As a result, Egoistic, who was somewhat well-liked, suddenly became a traitor.

"Uh..."

I was quite taken aback by this.

Yeah, I was surprised by the positive public opinion after I became a villain.

So, I thought I should get some proper curses to become a true villain.

But it's a bit funny that it happened this way.

"Hmm, well. Since the terror attack I planned and guided caused this, it is ultimately my fault...?"

"Why is it Oppa's fault! They were the ones who participated with seven million people, and now they're blaming Oppa. What did Oppa do?"

"You're right! Hyung, you did nothing wrong!"

Hayul's younger brother, Chayun, who was passing by after drinking water, also defended me. Haha...

"Phew... But then, is there no Mango Gang anymore? Did the people who were in the Mango Gang turn against me?"

"Oh, the Mango Gang? No, they're actually more united."

"More united?"

What does that mean?

"People didn't just curse Oppa, they also cursed those who supported Oppa. So, they're actually more united among themselves. Look."

Really?

I turned on my phone and went to the official Egoistic fan cafe.

Looking at the popular posts, the titles were all ablaze.

*

[Why do they get the money and curse our Mango?]

[They took 100,000 won from Mango and now they're cursing him, look at them lol]

[They should admit they're selfish, why curse Mango?]

[I educated the kids who were cursing our Mango Oppa at school (proof included)]

[People who are Egoistic water spirits are disgusting, thumbs down lololol]

[Real-time at our school, what the hell is this guy?]

*

"Hmm..."

I let out a sigh as I looked at the list of popular posts.

Just a quick glance at the top shows it's a mess.

"Phew. Of course, Oppa didn't do the right thing, but it's ridiculous to blame everything on Oppa."

Se-eun, who was sitting on the sofa behind me and looking at the phone with me, eventually lay down.

"Oppa, the reason you destroyed the bridge was because the Han Group kids said a monster would come out from their experiments, right? If a monster does come out, it will definitely cross that bridge, right?"

"Huh? Oh, right."

"Phew. If it really happens as Oppa said, I wonder what will happen."

Se-eun said with a wicked smile.

"So, if Oppa really stops the monster, how will people react then?"

Huh?

That's right.

I had momentarily forgotten about the black monster sinking into the Han River, which will be seen by the entire nation. There's no way to hide it.

Well, people's reactions will be funny then. Or, will they become my strong supporters? They might support my claim that it was a coincidence. Or, they might feel foolish.

Well, we'll see when the time comes.

I just played around, watching the news. I'll stay home and make plans until the black monster incident.

While browsing the internet news, a news article caught my eye.

[Han Group's Technical Advisor Kim Seon-woo Released on Parole.]

"Oh."

I exclaimed out loud.

Finally, that guy is out of jail, just like in the original story.

The instigator of all this chaos.

The primary responsible person for the Han Group's downfall.

And the reason I destroyed the bridge, the guy who was running the 'Black Monster' project.

"Now that he's out, it's just a matter of time."

Big things are coming.

***

Seoul. Below the Han River.

In a deep underground laboratory, researchers in white coats bowed their heads in unison.

"Dr. Kim Seon-woo, welcome back."

"Alright, enough. Show me around."

"Yes, sir!"

The person who made everyone bow was a man in a lab coat, wearing glasses, with a gaunt face and thinning hair.

He was the technical advisor of the Han Group.

The final supervisor and responsible person for the secret project, 'Transhuman.'

Dr. Kim Seon-woo.

"First, report on the others later, but how much progress has 'it' made?"

"It's almost complete. It seems to be developing intelligence as well."

"Good, good. Let me see."

The other researchers guided him as he walked, tapping on a tablet.

After passing through a dark corridor and several iron doors, they arrived at a place that looked like a huge auditorium, which was hard to believe was underground.

In the busy area where many researchers were moving, there was a giant tank so large that it couldn't be seen in its entirety.

One side of the open space was not a wall but glass. The entire vast area, except where the researchers were, was a huge tank.

The tank was filled with a greenish chemical solution instead of water.

Dr. Kim Seon-woo quietly walked forward and placed his hand on the glass wall of the tank, which was several times his height.

"The current state of Behemoth Beta is very stable."

"Good, good. That's what I wanted to hear..."

He looked into the tank with a distant gaze.

Inside the green tank, a massive black tentacle mass, as large as a house, was curled up and twitching.

"Soon, I will complete you, Behemoth."

The doctor looked into the tank with burning eyes.

His eyes were purely filled with madness.

***

"Uh~ So, Behemoth will sink into the Han River, right? Five years of research will be for nothing, and the company will go bankrupt, right?"

"Oppa, where did you learn this weird way of speaking? That's internet broadcast lingo!"

I was mumbling to myself, excited about the news of Kim Seon-woo's release, when Se-eun scolded me for using proper Korean.

A situation where a middle schooler scolds an adult for using casual slang and tells them to speak more seriously.

...Is this right? I've seen adults scold middle schoolers for speaking properly, but...

No, Se-eun, this is for your own good.

Of course, my protest was ignored.

That's too much.