The Thug Hides the Villainess

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049 – The Captives Are Too Strong #2

It felt quite spacious in the basement, but having three people there made it feel cramped in many ways.

The problem was that the two women were being noisy.

“I’m the only one drinking this water. Yu Yeoreum, you can starve.”

Seoga-eul gulped down the water from the PT bottle in front of Yu Yeoreum, making it look like a scene from a commercial.

Her thin, white neck resembled that of a swan.

Of course, Seoga-eul’s personality was much closer to that of a fierce fox than an elegant swan.

Since Yu Yeoreum’s kidnapping, Seoga-eul had been strangely giddy. After all, she was the one who had requested Yu Yeoreum’s kidnapping, so it made sense she couldn’t hide her joy.

Thinking about it, wasn’t it Seoga-eul herself who instigated her own kidnapping?

Perhaps Seoga-eul had an exciting kink for asking someone to kidnap others.

It could happen.

There are indeed uncles who like to be whipped.

Kidnapping request fetishism is a pretty mainstream kink.

Anyway.

Seoga-eul was very pleased to see Yu Yeoreum in trouble. She would take the water Yu Yeoreum was supposed to drink and even finish the meal meant for her.

Such a wicked girl.

“And you smell!”

Of course, it was only natural for Yu Yeoreum to smell after several days without a wash since she was trapped here.

Without windows in the basement, ventilation was a problem.

Yu Yeoreum furrowed her brow, possibly feeling insulted by Seoga-eul’s jibe.

“Do you enjoy this?”

“It’s super fun! I was the only one stuck and suffering at the hands of some pervert, feeling so unfair about it, but now that I have a comrade, I’m just so happy and joyful.”

Since being captured, Yu Yeoreum was in a constant state of low pressure.

Almost like a wounded beast, she was growling softly.

Now, that anger of Yu Yeoreum shifted from Seoga-eul towards me.

“Hanam-jin. Undo this! Why are you doing this? I thought you were a kind and good person. To think everything so far has been a lie!”

It truly was a shocking twist to discover that I, Hanam-jin, who was undeniably handsome, smart, and well-liked, and even smelled good, was a notorious kidnapper.

If everyone found out my true identity, it would create an enormous uproar far beyond just the revelation that the class president Jeong-ui-seon was a “Judgment” figure!

People would be so shocked and saddened that it wouldn’t be strange if they all broke into breakdancing.

“So, Yu Yeoreum, did you go hungry again today?”

I had made yeast ramen for Yu Yeoreum.

Although the bowl was empty, it seemed that Seoga-eul had eaten whatever Yu Yeoreum was supposed to have.

Seoga-eul looked like she enjoyed finishing everything Yu Yeoreum was meant to eat.

“I told you. I can’t eat.”

With a scowl, Yu Yeoreum frowned deeply.

Just as she said, Yu Yeoreum couldn’t eat.

Was it that she struggled to chew solid food and swallow it?

“Trauma? A trauma about food?”

“I won’t tell a criminal like you.”

Yu Yeoreum’s heart, which had once been open and light toward me, was now as solid as a heavy fortress. Yet it was clear that Yu Yeoreum had some reason for not wanting to eat.

Could liquid be the only limit?

Usually, there was a concept of “photosynthesis” allowing her to absorb nutrients from light without issue. But since being trapped in the basement, Yu Yeoreum hadn’t seen sunlight.

Completely drained.

Thus, it could be said that Yu Yeoreum had been starving for several days, and it wouldn’t be strange if she collapsed or became weak, but her unique awakening energy was still very much alive.

“Hey, Yu Yeoreum, you aren’t sneakily eating something behind my back, are you? Or are you storing excess nutrients somewhere in your body?”

“Where could I possibly store them? Probably in that lump of fat on my chest!”

Seoga-eul laughed heartily.

Naturally, Yu Yeoreum frowned and turned her back to lie down on her mattress.

She likely felt there was nothing more to say to me.

# # #

In a dark briefing room somewhere.

Department head Kim Jang-dong’s expression was particularly heavy and tense.

This was because the man receiving the report in front of him was quite an extraordinary individual.

Superhuman Management Office head Han Seung-kwan.

He was the head of a newly created ministerial department, a powerful figure in the current administration, and the key player behind the constitutional revision and presidential term extension.

That earned him the nickname “Little President.”

However, these days, Han Seung-kwan’s countenance was gloomy and downcast, like the rainy season.

“Kim, have you found any more information regarding the disappearance of Seoga-eul and Yu Yeoreum? If you’re going to just come in here and apologize again today, just turn around and leave.”

“……”

“Kim! This is an unprecedented incident where the daughter of the opposition leader and the daughter of the ruling party’s largest supporter have disappeared! This has never happened in South Korean history! Think through all possibilities!”

He slammed the table in anger, but the corners of his mouth had started to loosen slightly.

Because everything that was happening now was not bad for him.

The ruling party’s supporter, the Seo Nam Group, had grown too powerful over the past decade to be controlled effectively.

Dividing their group and nurturing their affiliate “Jewa,” was intended to mitigate any danger posed by a dog that had bitten them before, but that alone couldn’t contain Seo Nam’s rise to a mega-corp.

However, with Seoga-eul’s disappearance, all of Seo Nam’s projects had come to a halt.

The private security team they were planning around Seoga-eul was now floating in the air.

“If their security team had been completed, our necks would have been on the line.”

Han Seung-kwan had felt painfully how dangerous and terrifying a group of excellent awakeners could be through “Billunners.”

If such power were possessed by a corporation, their influence within the nation would only grow.

“The timing of Yu Yeoreum’s disappearance works out nicely, too.”

Opposition leader Yu Do-gwan was a fierce rival who attacked the current administration at every turn.

Moreover, his stepdaughter “Yu Yeoreum” was a promising candidate known as being “invincible” among the awakeners.

The fact that the opposition leader held asymmetric power that could strike national facilities and key positions was a significant threat, but—

That issue was resolved with Yu Yeoreum’s disappearance.

“Things are going too smoothly. Could it be that someone on our side had given direct orders? Everything seems too favorable for us.”

Management office head Han Seung-kwan took off his glasses and pressed his thumb and index finger to his tired eyes.

His conclusion remained as formal as ever.

“Kim, continue the investigation as it is and notify me immediately if you discover any new information or insights. Once morning comes, you can call me anytime on my personal phone.”

“Yes.”

“Oh, by the way, about the student you are keeping an eye on. What was that kid’s name? The male student from the families of the victims of the N Mart incident who said he was living hard? A name like that of a singer, wasn’t it?”

“Hanam-jin?”

“That’s right. Hanam-jin. Nam-jin. There’s been quite a stir these past few days, hasn’t there? He has taken down Yeomra and Pinocchio. Thanks to that, our shoulders have naturally become a bit higher now that we’re working on the establishment of Yeongsa High School. How about we let that kid take a shot at it?”

“…What would we entrust him with?”

“Oh my, how can someone be so dull? Hence why you’re still a department head!”

“I’m sorry… So what work are you assigning to Nam-jin?”

“I’m talking about finding the missing students! Isn’t the camaraderie and the love between students from the same school a nice thing? It could make for a pretty picture. Or a drama, even. Oh, it sounds perfect. Let’s proceed with that.”

“Ah…”

“I heard he caught Jeong-ui-seon’s son and threw him in jail, didn’t he? Wow, that kid is something. After graduation, I think we could bring him in and use him. Shall we invite him here?”

“However, Director. That Nam-jin kid is… subject to special management, you know. I think bringing him here might be a bit difficult for various security reasons…”

“Subject to special management? What does that mean? Is it because his parents are commies? Is he some kind of infiltrating spy? Unless that’s the case, what security concern could there be?”

“Um, could you lower your voice a little…?”

Whispering.

At Kim’s whispers, Han Seung-kwan’s expression tightened as if he had heard something he shouldn’t.

“…Is anyone else aware of this?”

“The only other person who knows what I just told you is the three of us.”

“Don’t tell anyone else. Let’s just keep this as we’re doing now. Just as it is.”

With a nod, when Kim stepped away, Han Seung-kwan wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief.

He felt as if the blood in his body had chilled.

It felt like a sharp blade was pressing against his neck.

He then opened a drawer and pulled out a file that had been hidden deep inside, tossing it into the trash can.

Fwoosh.

As he lit it with a lighter, the document began to burn.

“Superhuman Control Bill─.”

“Anti-human rights law backlash─intentional incidents─shock─”

“N Mart─number of victims─”

“─final confirmer─Taegun─”

Many words were swept away by the crimson flames.

“Is there really such a thing as fate?”

# # #

“Hanam-jin, congratulations. You won’t be able to die gracefully when your time comes. You’ve kidnapped not one, but two daughters of influential people, right? You’ll probably be stuffed into a drum and turned into concrete without anyone’s notice.”

In the evening, Seoga-eul mocked me thoroughly.

She said I would die.

What a laughable thing.

“Gaeul, there are no red flowers for ten days.”

In a world that will be doomed in a year anyway, what does it matter to be the daughter of a chairman or a congressman? It was all meaningless.

What truly mattered was that my ketchup bottle was rechargeable, which meant I could essentially eat infinite ketchup.

That was the true tremendous power and strength.

Yet, Seoga-eul, clueless about this, shook her head and insisted.

“There might be red flowers for a thousand years. Look at President Nam Taegun. After changing the constitution to extend his presidency, he’s planning to make it hereditary next!”

“Are they going to make the presidency hereditary?”

Yu Yeoreum, who had been in a bad mood for days, took an interest in that conversation. The idea of a hereditary presidency was utterly hilarious.

Is this North Korea or something?

Anyway, as such conversations flowed, night fell, dark and silent.

The pitter-patter of rain started to fall, and even the moonlight was covered by the clouds, so I figured it was finally time.

“Then, Yu Yeoreum, let’s go take a bath.”

“What? What the hell are you talking about?”

It was Seoga-eul who reacted more than Yu Yeoreum herself.

“You just said Yu Yeoreum smells. Since the moon isn’t rising, I thought we’d give her a thorough shower and have her change clothes. I plan to make a point of making her wash every night.”

“Hey! Where’s that even applicable? You never made me do such things! You jerk! You discriminatory jerk! If you’re gonna do it, take me too!”

Seoga-eul protested fiercely, as if she had stepped on a trap.

The way she was whining was pretty adorable!

“Gaeul, you have 《Elegant Lady》, right? Thanks to that, you can go without bathing and don’t even need to use the toilet! But Yu Yeoreum doesn’t have such a convenient concept. So it can’t be helped.”

“If I give you my concept, it’ll work! For Yu Yeoreum! The one I have!”

Giving Yu Yeoreum the 《Elegant Lady》 concept?

What an intriguing notion.

“Then what are you planning to do from now on?”

“I just need to awaken a new concept again, right? This time, I can awaken something like ‘angel’ or ‘fairy’. Anyway! I’ll give my concept to Yu Yeoreum, so don’t you dare let her wash!”

It’s not fair for only Yu Yeoreum to wash because Seoga-eul can’t wash herself, huh?

It’s lose-lose instead of win-win.

They say when you put crabs in a basket, when one tries to escape, another grabs its leg and pulls it back down.

But if Seoga-eul gives a concept to Yu Yeoreum and then awakens another concept from that gap—

Couldn’t this process repeat until Seoga-eul becomes even stronger?

“Can you really give concepts?”

Yu Yeoreum’s eyes sparkled with curiosity.

Come to think of it, the fact that Seoga-eul could transfer a concept to someone else was a secret just between us.

Now Yu Yeoreum knows about it too.

“It’s not something I can give to just anyone. I need to know the person well enough. To the point where I can trust them. So, Yu Yeoreum, you’re out.”

Out? Then it means Yu Yeoreum won’t end up having the 《Elegant Lady》 concept.

Ultimately, she’d have to go up to the surface once a day to take a bath.

“Let’s go, Yeoreum.”

“……”

“YAAAAAH! Hanam-jin, you crazy bastard!”

I dragged Yu Yeoreum up to the surface, leaving Seoga-eul behind, who was making a fuss.

I was slightly worried that the Supergirl Yu Yeoreum might explode and run away after I uncuffed her, but she didn’t have that much strength, being completely drained after not seeing light and being unable to eat.

Just by the way, I got the handcuffs from Jin Ramen sister.

Because I often run into guys with a level 3 bounty, it was a good precaution for the next time.

━Ying-ying-ya-ying.

Upon entering the house, Ying-ing was seated in the living room.

Yu Yeoreum flinched slightly.

“……”

Ziiing—

Yu Yeoreum’s eyes glowed red for a moment when she saw Ying-ing.

“Yoo Yeoreum, she’s a good mysterious creature, okay? You shouldn’t bully her.”

“There’s no such thing as a good mysterious creature. Not only did you kidnap a person, but you’re also secretly raising a monster. You villain Hanam-jin, you really are a bad guy. You’re worse than the Billunners terrorists.”

When she called me “Hanam-jin” affectionately, now I was being labeled as a villain.

I was properly hated now.

Well, since I’ve received the hate, it’s probably best to lean into the bad guy role.

“Then, Yu Yeoreum, let’s get into the bath and take your clothes off. I’ll help you wash.”

“……!!!!”