Chapter 45
Chapter 45
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 45
Chapter Title: Uncle Chris's Betrayal
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How do you untie the first button that's been buttoned wrong? I racked my brain hard, but no clever solution came to mind.
"Shit. If I'd known it'd turn out like this, I should've acted polite from the start. No need to overthink it and end up spilling blood."
I'd just acted my usual polite self, but instead I pulled some unnecessary stunt and pissed off that Peter guy—no, esteemed Peter.
It was all because I lacked manners. Time to reflect.
"Reflection over."
I finished reflecting in one second and stood up. Wouldn't Peter's mood eventually soften if I visited every day with my hands full of gifts?
"So, the first thing I need to do right now is..."
After settling on a plan for esteemed Peter, I turned my thoughts to other matters.
First up, the new base.
I needed to pick a spot no one else could find, so even if I was gone, it wouldn't get raided by other villain groups.
My underlings were bald-headed idiots with no talents beyond slinging drugs. Hell, lately they'd even whined to me that sales were tough because their big clients got busted by heroes (by my hand).
Full-grown men whining because they couldn't handle one simple job... What a pathetic bunch.
"But is there even a place like that in Dark City?"
Honestly, there was no spot in Dark City that others couldn't find. People swarmed everywhere like ants, and CCTVs dotted every street corner.
Especially my underlings—for some reason, they all shaved their heads bald and tattooed skulls on them (on my orders). No way to hide they were Skull Head crew like that. Utterly pathetic and brainless.
Anyway, after ditching the hideout, the Skull Head members were operating in small cells now. Moving separately, buying and selling weapons and drugs. Of course, they wore beanies to hide their identities.
"I can just leave that to the middlemen..."
Money wasn't an issue. Kane had amassed a fortune.
Kane might've only ruled Sector 72, but he'd held it for over three years. The illicit wealth he'd piled up was insane.
Later, I'd head to the bug farm and make that Kane bug cough up everything left. I was his creditor for 10 billion dollars!
That bastard had scarred my heart.
Batman bro's non-lethal code, drilled into me endlessly, got broken because of him. Without Joker bro, I'd have become some spineless villain devoid of principles.
From that day, I stopped being Batman bro's little bro and became Joker bro's little bro, Jocker.
How could I put a price on the sorrow of losing a brother I admired? But if I didn't collect in cash, I couldn't soothe my tear-streaked soul.
I still hadn't gotten the full 10 billion, so my heart was still crying. Heart tears!
"Wait a sec?"
Then a thought struck me.
The B-rank villain Frog I killed wasn't technically human. He was a frog. His villain name was Frog, right?
So then?!
"I didn't kill a person—I killed a frog!"
Innocent kids, full of dreams, hopes, and innocence, rip dragonfly wings or squash frogs out of curiosity.
Even though that crushes the dragonfly's and frog's dreams, hopes, and lives!
They can commit those cruelties with innocent faces because they don't know the truth. They only realize their mistake after growing up.
Thus, I was a child. Because I killed a frog!
"Oh, ooooooh! Yes! That's it! I didn't break the non-lethal code!"
Realizing this truth, Batman bro—who'd been disappointed and left my side—rushed right back. Joker bro clapped beside him, doing the staircase dance.
Batman and Joker truly had an unbreakable bond.
"Aaaah...! To only realize this now!"
That meant no 10 billion in mental damages from Kane. But I'd squeeze every last cent out of him no matter what. It was already my money.
"Uhaha! Uhahahahaha!"
I burst into cheerful laughter and downed my warm iced Americano in one go.
This café was something else. I ordered a warm iced Americano as a joke, and they actually brought a warm one. The barista was a true artisan.
"Uhahahahahahaha!"
"..."
"..."
The café patrons eyed the departing Bal Jeong-nam with terrified stares. A guy screaming and laughing mid-coffee was clearly insane, and they were grateful he'd left peacefully.
I drove to Sector 85. For reference, Sanctuary Corp was in Sector 53, and our house was right next door in 54.
So why Sector 85?
Because right after my revelation, as I left the café, Uncle Chris called.
-I've prepared a house for you, Young Master. Come to Sector 85.
No reason not to rush when I had a house waiting. I floored the accelerator to Sector 85. Lights flashed midway—probably speed cameras—but who cared?
I—well, my parents—had money to burn.
Anyway, following the navigation, I arrived at the spot Uncle Chris mentioned. A ritzy neighborhood packed with luxury homes—rich folks' turf. Deeper in, I spotted Uncle Chris standing in front of a house.
"Uncle Chris!"
"You've arrived, Young Master?"
"Yeah! So this is my place?"
"Indeed. Congratulations, Young Master. You've finally gone independent."
"My house!"
Back in Korea, owning a home was a distant dream. Hell, I might die before affording one.
But here, at just 30, I'd scored my own place. And without spending a dime—Dad bought it!
Chose the chaebol parents right.
"Shall we go in?"
"Yep!"
I climbed the stairs with Uncle Chris.
"Whoa!"
A gasp escaped me. Inside the high walls sprawled a little forest. Dense trees and a small lake filled the garden. Next to it stood a lavish seven-story mansion.
"Why's the house so huge?"
It was way too big for just me—or me and Elizabeth.
Once I conquered Elizabeth, I'd bring Yuna too, and more after, so space-wise it worked, but for now, with two people, it was overkill.
Uncle Chris chuckled and dropped a bombshell.
"Heh heh heh. This is the home for the son of Sanctuary Corp's chairman—can't skimp on it. Young Master, for your parents' sake, you should act bigger and bolder."
"Huh?"
"In ancient terms, you're like the crown prince or a grand duke—top nobility. Living in a lesser house than others would tarnish your dignity."
"Uh..."
"Truth is, we secured the house the day you said you'd move out. But its height was shorter than others, so we razed it and built anew. One floor taller than the tallest one. Plus, custom furniture delayed things."
Wait, what? They built a new house?
"You built this in that short time? How?"
"Of course we hired a construction firm with superpowered workers."
Not all superpowered folks became heroes or villains.
Some hid their powers and lived quietly; others got jobs where their abilities shone.
And naturally, superpowered workers outpaced normals by miles.
"Ah, heh heh heh."
"What?"
Uncle Chris suddenly burst laughing, like he'd remembered something.
"Nothing much. The guy who lived in the tallest house before this was Duran. Number two lives like number two."
"..."
Uncle Chris could be pretty cheeky sometimes.
'Come to think of it, what's Duran up to?'
His birthday party a few days back was the worst ever.
I'd been knocked out the whole time, and woke up to heroes busting him for drugs. He didn't even know it'd turned into a drug-and-orgy bash because he was unconscious.
Tsk. Young guy, so fragile. Passed out from one head bump on a door.
That alone wouldn't have been rock bottom. The real nightmare for Duran was his fiancée Elizabeth—whom he truly loved—going missing.
'I wonder how that turned out?'
Come to think of it, no news on the chaebol drug party. Figures—the parents probably hushed it.
Duran was a key player in my NTL story; he had to be fine.
"By the way, Uncle."
"Yes."
"About Duran..."
"Ta-da! Surprise~!"
"Kiyoooooo!"
As I entered and started asking Uncle Chris about Duran, someone popped out—scaring me for real. Nearly ascended to the stars. What the fuck?!
"Kyahahaha! What was that noise? Too funny! Kyahahaha!"
"Who... Huh? Ji-na?"
Turned out to be Ji-na, in leggings and comfy clothes, doubled over laughing at me.
"Uncle, why's she here?"
"When Young Master said you're going independent, the young lady insisted on the same."
"So... you mean?"
A nightmare scenario flashed in my head.
"Yes. Ji-na will live here with you."
"Why?!"
My harem life?! I moved out of that great house to bang my girls freely!
Ji-na was harem material, sure. But only post-conquest—and I hadn't even started.
"What? You don't wanna live with me?"
My outburst soured Ji-na's face. Her eyes narrowed. Hmm... That glare's kinda sexy?
"What were you planning solo? Jerking off alone? You pervert pig bastard!"
Ooh, trash-talk me more!
No, snap out of it.
"No, I just figured you'd stay with your parents. It'll be lonely for them without you. Did they even okay you moving out?"
"Duh. When bro leaves, they told me to go too. Dad basically shoved me out like luggage so he could live alone with Mom."
"..."
Worse than a daughter-con was a wife-con, and worse still a rich wife-con.
I move out, and they boot the daughter too! Freshly back from years abroad, no less.
"Anyway, I'm living here with you now. Got it?"
"Uh... Sure."
Not the worst, actually. Sneaking sex with Elizabeth while dodging Ji-na's eyes? Thrilling.
"Come on in. Guests are... just Uncle Chris, but we gotta do a housewarming! Timed the food for you and Uncle. Let's eat."
"Alright."
Oho, thoughtful kid. Prepped food ahead. I followed Ji-na to the first-floor kitchen.
Then I saw the dining table and lost my words.
"..."
"..."
"Plenty left, so dig in."
No just pineapple pizza—mint choco cake too. And it didn't stop: pineapple tonkatsu, pineapple burgers, pineapple fried rice... Everything had pineapple. Mint choco everywhere else.
The world! Is this hell?!
"And for dessert... Ta-da~!"
Ji-na flung open the fridge. Freezer packed solid with mint choco ice cream.
"Oh right, the chairman's errand slipped my mind. But it'd be a shame to leave empty-handed... I'll take one slice."
Uncle Chris sneaked a slice, picking off the pineapple. That sly dog?!
"I'll head out first then."
"Shame, but can't be helped. We'll finish the food. Drive safe, Uncle."
"..."
I gawked at Uncle Chris's retreating back in disbelief. Traitor! Betrayer!