Chapter 67
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 67
Chapter Title: The Mayor and the Ruins
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No. No, no.
This isn't right. This is cheating.
Time! Freeze! Where's the ref, ref!
'We were just at the finale! One more step, and it would've been perfect!'
It was like a home run ball right before clearing the outfield fence! Like tape at the finish line, just 0.1 seconds away!
Ratings exploding, public opinion at its worst, the perfect impeachment ending—a happy ending right in sight!
Why?
Why now, of all times, Kang Hyunwoo, you enforcer?
Why show up right now and ruin my beautiful finale?
I switched to expression management mode.
Even if hellfire boils inside, a politician's basics demand Pacific Ocean calm on the outside.
'Eh, whatever. How big a deal could it be anyway.'
Forcing nonchalance, I started spinning positive thoughts.
Magpie Village underground? Predictable.
At best, some buried construction waste. Or maybe kimchi pots from the '70s? Or... Frontier Development's secret industrial waste drums?
Yeah, if it's that, it's even better. I can expose Frontier Development's corruption too, dragging both into the mud perfectly.
The problem was this little furball in my arms.
My adorable cat, leaping lightly from above Kang Hyunwoo's head and landing right in my embrace.
Nerorong~
Nero was triumphant. So very triumphant.
Tail spinning like a propeller, staring at my face with a proud expression.
Even pressing my chest with her front paws. Press, press.
Paw pats. That affection only cats show at peak happiness.
Meow.
'What? Treats because you did good? No... what did you even do to be this confident?'
No, no. Calm down, Lee Garam.
Cats get happy for no reason. Maybe excited by a butterfly outside, or a sweet nap. No need to overthink.
While I soothed myself, Kang Hyunwoo was already in action.
"H-Hey! We're live right now, you can't do this! Security! Security! Get this guy out!"
MC Jo Youngseok yelled desperately, but Kang Hyunwoo ignored him completely.
He silently pulled a tablet from his pocket and connected it to the studio's main screen.
"We discovered anomalies during the Magpie Village underground investigation."
Emotionless voice. His usual dry, businesslike report.
The PDs panicked, but seeing the skyrocketing ratings graph, they quickly steeled themselves.
Exchanging glances, they signaled all camera directors to focus on Kang Hyunwoo and the screen.
Right, for broadcasters, truth or justice doesn't matter. Only ratings.
The screen began playing footage.
With the subtitle 'Magpie Village D-1', Kang Hyunwoo and Nero appeared.
"First, we began scouting around the village well."
In the footage, Kang Hyunwoo and Nero wandered the problematic well area. Nero kept sniffing the ground.
Screen changed to 'D-2' subtitle.
Village spots called 'prime locations'. Nero tapping the ground with her paw, checking something.
'D-3'.
Suddenly, Nero got excited. Tail straight up, growling, then digging furiously at a spot.
"Following Nero's reaction, we began full excavation there."
In the footage, Kang Hyunwoo dug with a shovel and pickaxe. Finally, revealing an entrance to what looked like an ancient tunnel blocked by stone.
'...What? There really was something?'
Up to here, it was fine. Yeah, ancient ruins. Could happen(?)
But from the next scene, the studio atmosphere chilled rapidly.
Kang Hyunwoo entering the narrow tunnel. As he cautiously steps forward.
Rumble-!
The floor he stepped on collapsed.
"Argh!"
"Wh-What do we do!"
Screams erupted from the citizen panel seats.
Kang Hyunwoo's body fell 10 meters down onto dozens of sharpened bamboo spikes.
Squish. Squish squish.
Like stabbing chopsticks into a ripe watermelon—chilling sounds.
"H-He killed someone!"
The studio fell into panic. MC Jo Youngseok went pale, hand over mouth.
But.
The footage kept playing.
Kang Hyunwoo's impaled, limp body twitched.
He pulled himself off the spikes. Smoke rose from the holes instead of blood, new flesh regenerating instantly.
He brushed dust off his clothes casually and advanced.
Meanwhile, our Nero?
Her body stretched like taffy, flowing liquid-like along the wall, leisurely passing the trap section.
"...Wh-What is this..."
Someone's mutter echoed in the studio.
But this was just the start.
Second zone.
As Kang Hyunwoo entered, water flooded from all sides, filling the tunnel instantly.
He flailed without finding the exit, then stopped moving.
Drowned.
The camera showed him motionless underwater for 3 minutes.
Water drained, he stood casually, spitting water, and walked on.
Nero, stuck to the ceiling, had been grooming peacefully.
Next, house-sized boulder rolling like in movies.
Kang Hyunwoo couldn't dodge, got flattened.
Crunch.
Horrific sound of bones and flesh separating.
His pancaked body slowly inflated like a balloon, returning to shape.
Nero?
Her front paw grew 10x, smashing the boulder effortlessly.
"......"
The studio couldn't even scream anymore. Everyone stared blankly at the screen.
Trap parade continued.
Purple poison gas filled the tunnel; Kang Hyunwoo coughed and collapsed, skin turning purple.
5 minutes later, he rose: "Hm, air's murky." And advanced.
Nero rolled ball-like through it.
Flames burst from walls; Kang Hyunwoo burned whole, turning charcoal lump.
New flesh sprouted from the charred lump as he walked out. One citizen panel fainted.
Nero zigzagged through flames, looking like she was playing tag.
After that, they passed countless traps.
Body pierced like a porcupine, regenerated. Nero hardened her body, deflecting needles.
Electrocuted to bones, regenerated. Nero turned insulating, passed unscathed.
Crushed by closing walls, regenerated. Nero flattened paper-thin, slipped through gap.
Melted by acid, regenerated. Nero coated surface, let acid slide off, passed leisurely.
Kang Hyunwoo paused the footage.
Silence.
In the icy quiet, a citizen panel cried shakily.
"Th-That guy... he's been... dying over and over!"
"Died 47 times total. No impact on duties."
"......"
"......"
"......"
MC Jo Youngseok asked blankly.
"Is... that... even human...?"
Kang Hyunwoo replied by resuming playback.
Next footage starred Nero.
Nerorong!
With a cute cry, Nero's body grew to 10 meters giant.
Neroshot!
Another cry shrank her to palm-sized.
She toyed with vicious traps like playthings, dismantling them easily.
Final scene: Giant Nero body-slamming the last tunnel wall to bits.
"That's the progress report on Magpie Village underground ruins. And... this was found at the deepest point."
Vast underground space revealed. A massive stone chamber.
No torches needed; the whole space glowed softly. Special minerals in walls and ceiling self-illuminating.
"Stone chamber estimated Baekje era, filled with motifs and traces of ancient superpowered training."
Elegant motifs covered walls and pillars; bizarre force-carved training marks everywhere.
Wall paintings vividly showed ancient superhumans: wielding Seven-Star Sword slicing skies, laser from bronze incense burner, meditating on lotus.
Chamber center: small well bubbling crystalline water, Eternal Spring Water glowing brilliantly.
But that mystical scene didn't capture eyes.
Chamber corner.
Dozens collapsed there.
Mostly young 20s-30s.
Some cold corpses, others barely breathing.
Kang Hyunwoo's camera panned them, then scattered evidence of forced labor nearby.
Memos with Park Chunbae's name. Victims' IDs. Muddy tools.
A surviving youth testified shakily to the camera.
"That bastard Park Chunbae... said since we supported redevelopment, he forced us..."
Thud.
Village head Park Chunbae dropped his mic.
CEO Jeong Jaehyeok also stared blankly at the screen, speechless.
"...That's murder!"
"Dragging people and working them to death?"
Citizen panels erupted in shock.
"Not just redevelopment!"
"Killed people while cosplaying as commoners?"
Studio boiled with horror and rage.
MC Jo Youngseok barely regained composure, grabbing the mic. His voice trembled too.
"Th-This... isn't just redevelopment. Horrific murder, imprisonment, abandonment. Viewers..."
Right. Yes.
Both sides hid ugly secrets.
Park Chunbae and Frontier Development—both done. Socially buried.
But so what?
I orchestrated the whole board, incited the conflict, deceived the citizens, right? Me, Lee Garam?
Inappropriate for a mayor?
So my plan still holds...? Right? Tell me yes, please...!
Right then.
From the panels, a 20s man shot up, raising his hand.
All eyes turned to him.
"But looking now... everything the mayor said at the start was true?"
...Huh?
"You said both sides need to crash. And really... both are irredeemable trash!"
Murmurs shifted tone.
Boos and jeers toward me turning to baffled whispers.
"Yeah? Frontier bribes, illegal lobbying. Magpie Village committee murder, imprisonment..."
"Right! Without the mayor, this horror stays buried forever!"
Murmur. Murmur.
"So the mayor didn't stir chaos on purpose..."
"To reveal truth, provoked both to expose each other?"
"In the end, mayor solved the whole thing."
No.
No, no, no.
Why twist it like that?
Why reach that weird conclusion!
I just wanted to watch citizens fight! Set the board for both to crash amicably!
A blue MIGA hat youth cried out in awe, almost sobbing.
"Again! It's you, Shin Garam!"
No, I'm not...
"As expected, Mayor! While fools like us pick sides on petty gains and emotions, you pierced the massive truth beyond!"
I said no. I just found you all hair-pulling fights fun.
"Hidden Dragon... no, can't call you that anymore! You're King Dragon! King Dragon Lee Garam! Respect!"
What? King Dragon?
"Lee Garam mayor's insane. No way he planned this far? Goosebumps."
Gasps and admiration burst everywhere.
My self-destruct line, 'hoping both crash', morphed into 'prophecy of the truth-seer'.
My bat-like antics packaged as 'masterful strategy to topple great evils'.
Even the fainted citizen panel woke, teary-eyed, clapping at me.
What cult is this?
Chaos didn't end.
Now, glasses-wearing archaeologist panel grabbed the mic.
"Th-Those ruins! Not national treasure! World Heritage! Baekje superpowered training hall that advanced! Proves Korea superpowers' origin in East Asia! Rewrite history books!"
Neighboring economics expert took the baton.
"Tourism revenue alone billions yearly! Global superpowered researchers flock to Neo Incheon! City brand skyrockets! Mayor gifted Neo Incheon priceless treasure!"
Waaaaah—!
Studio turned festival.
Applause and cheers washed over me like waves.
No, why... why does it turn out like this... I just wanted hate, blame, impeachment...
'They defend me no matter what? Fan club? Ah... MIGA... my fan club...'
Mayor's no idol! No celebrity! This stunts Korea politics!
Blind support! Blanket praise! Fast track to ruin!
Desperately hid panic, but couldn't stop eyes twitching.
My executioner MC Jo Youngseok was utterly dazed.
All his scenarios, ammo against me—now trash.
He tried salvaging.
"N-No, everyone. Mayor deceiving citizens is fact..."
"Not deception, big picture for truth!"
One citizen's shout drowned him.
"Right! Results say it all!"
"Without mayor, those victims doomed!"
"Not instigating—let rot fester to cut it out!"
"We mortals can't fathom mayor's deep intent!"
MC Jo Youngseok shut up.
His script fell limply.
I just smiled awkwardly.
Worst smile of my life.