Chapter 82

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 82

Chapter Title: The Mayor and the Aftermath

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One by one, the blaring red warning alarms echoing from all directions sank into silence, ever so slowly.

The fiercely flashing red lights shifted to a gentle green.

Like traffic lights. The signal to go. The sign that it's safe to relax.

But why is the traffic light of my life stuck on red, constantly blinking?

When will I ever cross the impeachment intersection? Does the other side even exist? Or is it just a mirage?

The last remaining warning light from the Western Industrial Complex finally displayed the clear words 'ALL CLEAR' and turned green.

Situation over.

The tension that had filled the emergency operations room finally came to an end.

"I can't believe it! Mayor!"

The Director of Disaster Safety rushed toward me with a voice on the verge of tears.

His face was a mess of sweat and emotion. Ah, that guy's face has way too much oil. Go wash up.

"An S-rank composite disaster resolved this quickly! This is unprecedented in Neo Incheon's history!"

"What about the damage report?"

Seria, standing beside me, asked calmly in my place.

"We're still tallying, but so far: 123 serious injuries, 556 minor! And... and zero fatalities!"

Zero fatalities.

Woooaaah!

The moment that word echoed through the operations room, cheers erupted. The officials hugged and jumped for joy.

Some even wiped away tears.

Hey, everyone. One look at the list of facilities needing repairs, and that joy will vanish.

"It's a miracle! A true miracle!"

"All thanks to the mayor's meticulous planning!"

"Groups that hated each other like enemies banding together! The mayor moved their hearts!"

No. No. That wasn't unity; they were just each protecting their own turf like madmen.

Even Seria gave a faint smile as she looked at me.

"The 'connections' you've built saved the city."

Seria smiled softly. That smile was so beautiful, I nearly nodded reflexively.

Dangerous.

That smile clouds judgment. A demonic allure disguised as praise.

No. This isn't it.

Absolutely not.

I, Lee Garam!

"I! Did! Nothing! I was just an incompetent mayor again! This was all coincidence! A fluke from coincidences piling up! Why doesn't anyone get my true feelings?!"

"Here we go again..."

"The mayor's humility mode activated."

"That's true leadership. Giving all credit to his subordinates."

Useless. Their brains are infected with the Lee Garam virus, their normal thought circuits paralyzed.

Then my last hope is...

I grabbed the soft body of the tricolor cat Nero in my hand and shook him wildly.

"Nero! You have to understand me! Right? Tell me! Am I a great mayor, or just a coward who wants to run?! You know! We're partners in crime!"

Nya~aam.

Nero just yawned lazily, letting his body go limp like it was a bother.

"Answer me! Say I'm incompetent!"

Instead of answering, he whipped my cheek with his tail.

Smack!

"Nero, even you?!"

It didn't hurt, but the mental shock was huge. Slapped by the cat I thought was my sole ally.

You traitor. Tonight, it's kibble instead of churu.

I placed Nero on my shoulder and glanced at the clock on the wall.

6:15 PM.

Yes. Quitting time had long passed.

"Finally... finally going home...!"

My sacred, inviolable private space.

No Seria. No paperwork. No citizens.

My voice trembled. With emotion.

How many days had it been?

Three? Four? Even my sense of time was fuzzy.

Days sleeping on the office sofa, surviving on cup ramen. 24-hour emergency lights and endless reports.

Time to escape it all.

The urgent fires were out anyway.

The monsters were barbecued or sashimi-fied and back in the sea.

What's left? Tedious, headache-inducing, expensive, annoying reconstruction.

Not my expertise. My only expertise is incompetence.

"Well then, good work everyone. I'll head out now."

The model boss who clocks out on time every day.

The modern leader who values work-life balance.

That's me, Lee Garam.

I straightened my clothes casually and turned.

One step.

Two steps.

Thre...

"Where are you going, Mayor?"

Um.

An icy voice from behind grabbed my ankle.

Seria Park.

She was blocking my path before I knew it. Behind her poker face, I could feel the intense will: 'One more step, and I'll snap that leg.'

"Where? Home. You did great too, Seria. Go rest up."

"Now? The comprehensive disaster damage report, contingency fund approvals, central government special grant applications, emergency MOU with the top 10 companies, Seoul damage compensation lawsuit prep, and interviews with countless domestic and international media... You're going to abandon all that and run?"

She rattled off the tasks like a machine gun without blinking. A symphony of dizziness-inducing words.

"C-Can't you handle that, Seria? You're capable. Haha."

I even added a hollow laugh. The perfect irresponsible boss.

"A capable secretary's duties include keeping the mayor from running away. Surely you're not irresponsible enough to dump all this on me alone for your happy commute home?"

"I am an irresponsible mayor!"

"If you sit and start approving now, I'll do my utmost to get you out by 3 AM."

3 AM? You think I'll fall for that?

Stay here longer, and I'll see sunrise from city hall tomorrow.

"I... need to inspect the site! Yes, a mayor belongs in the field, breathing with the people! That's leadership!"

I came up with an excuse even I found convincing.

Seria's brow furrowed slightly. Did it work?

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"Then I'll accompany you."

"No! Seria, no need for you to get soaked too! Look, it's still raining out there, puddles everywhere. Can't have you ruining those fine clothes in such harsh conditions! Ruining your elegant style is a loss to all of Neo Incheon! As mayor, I can't allow it!"

I made a sincere(?) worried face.

"And what if you catch a cold? In this emergency, if my capable secretary falls, city ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hall grinds to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a halt! So stay here, safe and comfy, guarding the ops center!"

I gave her no room to argue, hoisted Nero on my head, and bolted for the door.

"Nero! Home! Churu time!"

Meow!

Nero meowed excitedly from atop my head.

Yeah, we're the best partners.

I ignored Seria's sigh behind me and sprinted down the hall.

Site inspection? Please. This is field escape—site flight for short!

Outside city hall, damp, fishy air stabbed my lungs.

The city was still flooded. I sloshed through knee-deep muddy water.

But nothing stops me from going home!

I veered into the back alleys of Guwol-dong in Namdong-gu, a route I never take.

A shortcut. Cramped old villas and semi-basements in the lowlands.

Splash, splash.

My footsteps echoed alone in the quiet alley.

Then.

Swish.

Something writhed in the water.

A survivor from Jin Yeonhwa's fire hell?

An escapee from the Special Task Force's sashimi party?

Definitely marine monster remnants.

"Eek!"

I screamed.

Pathetic? Yeah, I am. So what.

I yelled reflexively at Nero on my head.

"Go kill it! Nero! Nyan-punch!"

As soon as I spoke, Nero's front paw stretched like rubber from my head.

Instantly over 5 meters long. A cotton swab, but the result was no joke.

Splat! Crunch!

The crustacean monster's hard shell shattered like a cracker.

Powerful, fast, merciless.

The alley fell silent again in an instant.

"Phew..."

Survived. My cat's the best. Tuna can for dinner.

Slurp.

Nero retracted his paw like nothing happened.

But not safe yet.

Grrrrumble...

The manhole cover right in front of me twitched.

Manhole. Man-hole. Human hole.

Meant for humans to enter, but now something's trying to exit.

Black-red muddy water gushed like a fountain.

And from it, a silhouette slowly rose.

Tattered black robe.

Half his face covered in writhing octopus tentacles.

"Lee Garam... Lee Garam... Finally... found you..."

The man squeezed my name from his waterlogged throat.

"Because of you... If not for you...!"

I stared at him blankly.

"Um... who are you?"

His remaining eye twitched at my question.

Eyelid spasm? Magnesium deficiency. Eat bananas.

"Shut up! Your cunning schemes ruined all our plans! The great Kraken! The Sea Dragon Cult! The Leviathan System! All because of you! Lee Garam, I won't forgive you...!"

So who are you!!

"Kraken! I offer this lowly vessel as sacrifice! Grant me the power to judge this arrogant mayor!"

Solemn. Grand. And to me, utterly annoying.

Crack. Crunch.

His body began to swell.

"I'll carve despair into your arrogant, hypocritical face! The terror of the deep will choke your breath!"

Even as his body twisted grotesquely, he kept cursing me.

Right arm became a huge claw, left sprouted slimy octopus tentacles. Back sprouted shark fins, belly jellyfish tendrils like noodles. Head even had an anglerfish lure glowing.

The monster grew over 7 meters in seconds.

Deep Sea Fusion. Seafood platter. Sushi tank overturned.

"Hm."

I looked up at the seafood buffet impassively.

"Nero, deal with it quick. Let's go home. I'm tired."

Ne~ro~ong.

His drowsy meow.

At the same time, Nero's body began to swell.

3 meters, 5, 10...

Eh? 15 meters?

The pricey food paying off? Bigger than last time.

The 15-meter Giant Nero was complete.

Nero Kaiju. Nerzilla. King Nero.

Call it what you want. It's big, that's key.

The seafood set that loomed over me now looked up at my cat.

Tsk. A villain whining about cheats. World's ending.

Nero, ignoring the pitiful screams, casually raised a paw.

And stomped.

Squish.

The seafood platter shattered with a scream.

Collapsed as pathetically as a beach sandcastle.

Nero licked his paw clean, grooming like nothing happened.

"Nero, tasty?"

Meow.

Not bad, huh? Crab flavor maybe?

"Good, now really home!"

I climbed onto his fluffy back with Nero's help.

"Go! Cat taxi! Base fare: three churu!"

Nero ambled forward slowly.

Thud, thud, thud. Crunch.

Bonus: accidentally stomping a few hidden marine monsters along the way.

After a while, something appeared far ahead.

Building rooftop. Precarious sign. People huddled together.

"Help us!"

"Waaah... Mommy..."

"We're gonna die!!"

Stranded citizens.

Ah.

Right. Guwol-dong outskirts. Run-down area. Always last in redevelopment talks.

Unlike Songdo Super City or Central District's admin hub.

Blind spot. No Special Task Force, no heroes.

"Sigh... Nero, stop a sec."

Nya?

"Pick up those people. Same direction anyway."

I shouted at the rooftop.

"Everyone up there! Come down! I'll take you to safety!"

They eyed me and the giant cat warily, back and forth.

Fair enough.

"It's fine! My cat's nice! No biting!"

True. Nero's picky—only premium ingredients.

"Come on, slowly! No pushing! Kids first! Elderly next! Youth in the tail!"

I smiled kindly to reassure them.

One by one, they climbed aboard.

"Slowly! No shoving! Elders first!"

I yelled like a station attendant on a packed subway.

Soon Nero's back was full of 200 citizens.

Nero became a walking cat ark.

"Thank you! Truly, Mayor!"

"We thought we were abandoned!"

"Nero forever! Mayor forever!"

They cried, grabbed my hand, petted Nero's fur.

This is bad.

My reputation rises again.

"Everyone! Listen!"

I desperately shouted at them.

"Don't tell a soul about today! Take it to your grave that I saved you!"

"Huh? Why?"

"Just... complicated adult stuff. Never, ever mention me or Nero."

They looked puzzled, then nodded like they understood.

"The mayor has deep reasons!"

"Got it! Lips sealed!"

"Not a peep, even if beaten!"

No, no deep reasons! Just hinders my impeachment plan!

After dropping them safely, I got home.

Hot shower, cold beer from the fridge.

Kkuu-

This is living.

Flopped on ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the sofa, turned on the TV.

Neo Incheon disaster breaking news.

An auntie teared up in an interview on screen.

[...We thought we were done for. Then... he appeared. The superhuman on the cat!]

One I rescued earlier.

Good. My name's not out...

[He said not to reveal his name, but he's always devoted to Neo Incheon. Thanks from the bottom of my heart. You're our lifelong benefactor! Oh, and definitely not Mayor Lee Garam!]

Pffft-!

I spat out my beer.

What are these people doing!

I begged them to keep quiet!

"You traitors! Repaying kindness with enmity! I said shut up! Couldn't hold it and blabbed to the press?!"

Corner of the screen: blurry photo of Nero, secretly snapped by a citizen.

Undeniable: giant tricolor cat ferrying people through the flood.

"Hey! Nero! Your fault! Too cute, everyone recognized you!"

Nya?

Ignoring my rage, he pawed my smartphone.

Nya nya nya.

Nero meowed smugly.

Sounded like 'I'm an influencer now.' Imagination?

I chugged my beer.

Bitter. Life's bitter.