Chapter 738 – 738. Savior Of The Academy
738. Savior of the Academy
The police are pointing their guns at me. I calmly said to them,
“Why are you pointing guns at me? I’m the victim here.”
“Victim? After seeing this scene, that’s what you say?! You’re an Awakened, aren’t you? Hands up and kneel down!”
“Ah, goddamn it. Officer, do you even know who I am? I’m an academy student.”
“……An academy student?”
The police were skeptical but relaxed their stance.
The image of Maruhan Academy is very good. The Korea Hero Association’s daily image-making is all about the academy. If an academy student saves someone or does special research, it’s front-page news.
Thanks to the association’s tearful efforts, the formula that academy students are the future of Korea is ingrained in the minds of the general public.
“I have my student ID in my pocket. Do you want to see it?”
“……Yes. Please show it to us.”
I took out my academy student ID from my pocket. It was a much more luxurious ID than a resident registration card. The police nodded after checking the student ID. Still, their wariness towards me hadn’t completely disappeared.
“So, you’re Seong Yujin, who just enrolled this time. Why are you here?”
“I heard that there was an illegal loan business here, so I came to check it out. I was going to try to talk them out of it before the citizens got hurt. But then the boss suddenly attacked me. I subdued him to defend myself. The method was a bit excessive, but… it was self-defense.”
I lied, even acting out my expressions.
The loan shark employees stared at me with shocked faces. Especially the boss, whose arm was torn off, had his eyes wide open, tears streaming down his face, looking like he was about to die from injustice.
“D-don’t lie! You suddenly came and caused a ruckus! You threatened us to shut down our business using force!! Illegal? Don’t be ridiculous! We’re running our business legally! Who would do illegal things in this day and age?!”
The police looked at the boss with pity, then turned their gaze back to me.
“……He says that, though?”
“I’m an academy student. Are you going to believe a loan shark over me?”
The police shook their heads.
“Anyway, since an incident occurred, let’s all go together.”
“Haa. I don’t have time for this. Can I use my phone?”
“Yes, go ahead.”
I picked up my smartphone. The boss crawled on the floor and grabbed the police officer’s leg with his only hand.
“CCTV! There’s CCTV installed in the office! Secure that evidence right now! Before that bastard does something!”
“Ah. If there’s evidence, it’ll be easier. Officer Park! Secure the CCTV!”
“Yes!”
I paused my smartphone for a moment.
CCTV.
Of course, I knew about its existence. It was right there in the corner of the office, how could I not know? The reason I left the CCTV alone was that there was no need to destroy it. Having the CCTV would actually be more advantageous for me.
[Successfully hacked the CCTV.]
“Uh, Sergeant. It looks like the loan shark attacked the academy student first?”
“What? The loan shark lied?”
The police frowned and glared at the boss. The boss frantically shook his head.
“N-no! Is that really what the CCTV footage shows? Let me see it!”
“Tsk. We’ll sort out the rights and wrongs later, let’s all go for now.”
I connected to one of my contacts.
Calling Seong Hari wouldn’t be a bad choice. Considering her connections and reputation, she could easily bury this kind of thing.
The Jinryeong Seong family wouldn’t be bad either. The Jinryeong Seong family has good relationships with politicians and high-ranking officials.
But the person I contacted was neither of them.
“Hey. Sohee noona. It’s me. I need your help.”
Han Sohee.
A director of the Korea Hero Association, and my fuck buddy.
‘Unlike the hunter associations in reality, the hero association in this world has strong power. Unlike hunters, heroes are treated as literal heroes. With the help of Han Sohee, a high-ranking official in the Korea Hero Association, I can easily get out of this kind of situation. Heh.’
I handed the smartphone to the police officer. The police officer received the call with a puzzled expression, then his face stiffened.
A director of the Korea Hero Association is in a position far above the police. Even the police chief would have to bow down in front of Han Sohee.
“…Yes. Yes. I understand. It’s not supposed to be like this, but… Yes. I’ll do as the association director says. Yes.”
The police officer sighed and handed the smartphone back to me.
“……We’ll handle the case ourselves. Mr. Seong Yujin, you can go home.”
“W-wait a minute! What are you talking about!”
“Shut up. You must have done something illegal. I’ll send you to the ambulance first, then we’ll talk. What are you doing, cuff the rest of them!”
“I’m innocent! I’m innocent!”
“We’re the victims! Catch that bastard!”
“Uwaaaah! Is this even Korea! Shit!!!”
I chuckled and calmly left the scene.
“Oh, thanks, Sohee noona. Evidence? There’s CCTV, but there’s no problem. I’m the victim. When we meet later, loosen up. I’ll fuck you right away. And I need to take down another guy… help me like you did now.”
Uwaaaaaaaaaaah!
A cry filled with resentment came from behind me.
It didn’t matter if the loan shark held a press conference claiming injustice, or if this incident became public. Behind me, I have the Jinryeong Seong family, Seong Hari, and Han Sohee, a director of the association. If I use Sarah, I can even move the American association.
Besides, the perception of loan sharks in this country isn’t good. Even if an article came out saying that a loan shark had his arm cut off by an academy student, people would probably curse the loan shark instead.
“This is Korea, heh.”
I took a taxi to another loan office.
•••
Today, I took down seven loan offices.
It wasn’t like I was taking down loan sharks for no reason, just to relieve stress. For stress relief, having a wild sex with a beautiful woman is better than slaughtering weaklings.
‘The seven loan offices I destroyed are all secretly connected to the Hero Alliance.’
The Hero Alliance was supporting them from behind, gathering funds. It wouldn’t be a serious blow. The Hero Alliance is already perfectly established. But if the steady flow of funds is cut off, they’d be annoyed, and their pride would be hurt by the fact that they were attacked.
‘I know well, since I was a villain in the first playthrough. Organizations like the Hero Alliance, which have shady backgrounds, are very concerned about their image.’
The Hero Alliance probably already knows about me. If they don’t, they’re a bunch of idiots not worth dealing with.
I walked openly on the outskirts of the city.
The Hero Alliance would react somehow. Either they’d move right away, or they’d approach me slowly. Considering the Hero Alliance’s tendencies, the former is more likely.
If they didn’t show up within 30 minutes, I was planning to go back.
‘……They’re here.’
I felt presences surrounding me. There were no CCTVs, and no streetlights, so the surroundings were dark.
When I stopped walking, they revealed themselves. People wearing masks and armed. Their equipment wasn’t very good.
‘A villain group. Judging by their level, most of them are F-class.’
They’re hunting dogs.
It was a common occurrence.
If I die, the Hero Alliance would say it was the work of villains and throw them away like trash. They’d pin the blame for killing me on them.
‘Those guys probably don’t know anything about their masters.’
The one who seemed to be the leader of the enemies walked over casually. He had a sharp hook instead of a hand on his right arm.
“A puppy who doesn’t know the fear of a tiger is running wild? You’re really just a kid.”
“Who are you guys?”
“We’re Mebius. I’m Jang Jiwook, the leader of Mebius.”
Jang Jiwook revealed his yellow teeth and spoke confidently.
I racked my brain.
Mebius.
No matter how much I thought about it, it wasn’t a villain group in my memory. And the fact that I don’t know them means they’re a mediocre group not worth remembering.
“A nobody.”
“We haven’t been active for long.”
They approached me like hyenas stalking their prey. Including Jang Jiwook in front of me, there were a total of 20 people. After a quick scan, there were about 3 E-class, including Jang Jiwook.
‘They must be underestimating me a lot.’
It wasn’t hard to understand. My apparent identity is that of a student who just entered the academy. Even if most of the opponents are F-class, you can’t openly ignore their numbers. If I were an ordinary academy student.
“Kid, if you run wild just because you have some power, you’ll get hurt. Because you’re not the only one with power.”
Whoosh.
A bright red flame rose from Jang Jiwook’s palm. He seemed to be trying to threaten me, but the size of the flame was slightly stronger than a lighter flame, so it was pathetic. He floated the flame in the air, illuminating the surroundings.
“Who is it? Who sent you?”
“Huh? Why are you asking that now? If you’ve been running wild like that, you should have some idea who it is, right?”
“There’s more than one person I can think of.”
“Heh. You should have been more careful. There’s no confidentiality agreement, so I’ll tell you as a gift for your trip to the afterlife. It’s Seo Junsik. He requested that we cut off your limbs and gouge out your eyes to cause you as much pain as possible.”
Seo Junsik.
I remember him. He was the third loan shark I went to. He was particularly noisy, so I broke his legs.
‘The reason they’re telling me so easily is that the Hero Alliance will kill Seo Junsik to shut his mouth and end the case. Even if Seong Hari and the Jinryeong Seong family get involved, they’ll get away with a simple tail-cutting.’
I quietly summoned Machina.
“Ah, what is it. It was just getting to the good part of the movie… Huh? Yujin, what’s going on?”
Machina fussed around me. The enemies didn’t notice Machina’s existence in her ethereal state.
‘Don’t be ridiculous, materialize over there and take a video with the camera. A video of me being attacked.’
“Ehh. Looking closely, they’re just weaklings.”
Machina obediently followed my orders. She quickly flew far away, materialized the camera, and started filming this way. Thanks to Jang Jiwook’s flame, it would be filmed very well.
“Y-you were sent by the Hero Alliance, right?”
“Huh? Why is the Hero Alliance suddenly popping up?”
“To think that the Hero Alliance and loan sharks would join hands! I was just punishing illegal loan sharks!”
“This crazy bastard. Why are you suddenly acting up?”
Jang Jiwook looked at me with a dumbfounded expression. Judging by his natural reaction, it was clear that he didn’t know anything about the Hero Alliance, just as I thought.
They came closer.
“L-let’s not do this, let’s talk it out! You guys don’t really want to do this either, right?!”
“I don’t know why you’re suddenly acting up, but there’s a 1 billion won bounty on your head. 1 billion. Don’t you think that’s too much money to just talk about? Huh?”
“The Hero Association won’t stand for this. I’ll report you!”
“Go ahead, you idiot. You’ll be chopped up faster than a hero arrives. What are you doing! Take this bastard down!”
They charged at me.
“Y-barrier!”
I pretended to be flustered and activated the barrier. The barrier, which I didn’t fully deploy, was easily broken by the multiple attacks. Their fists, knives, and bats rushed towards me. I dodged the most dangerous weapon, the knife, and deliberately took the punches and bats.
“Cough! Aaaah! Ugh!”
I even let out realistic screams. There were no effective hits. Most of them were glancing blows.
After being hit a few times, I broke free after ramming into one of them. And from then on, I started to counterattack.
‘I can’t look too overwhelming. I have to make it look like a fierce battle, that I’m at a disadvantage.’
My acting skills shone. I fought while panting. My clothes got dirty, and my face was covered in blood. It wasn’t my blood. I secretly smeared the enemies’ blood on myself while fighting.
“These frustrating bastards…. You’re struggling to deal with one kid? Get out of the way! I’ll take care of it!”
Jang Jiwook stepped forward. He extended his hook hand forward and ran towards me.
“Kueeeh! M-Moka! Help me!”
I summoned Moka as pathetically as possible. As soon as Moka appeared in front of me, she scattered lightning in all directions. The enemies who were hit by the blue lightning were electrocuted to death.
“Th-this shit…!”
The only one who survived, Jang Jiwook, tried to turn around in the same posture he was running in.
Kwarurururung!
Lightning struck him. He couldn’t even run away.
I collapsed weakly on the ground.
“Cut! Cut! Cut! Actor Seong! That was a great performance! A great performance!”
Machina flew over and fussed around.
