Chapter 81
Chapter 81
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 81
Chapter Title: The Reason I Hate You All
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At first, Yushin had considered killing all these disgusting beasts.
These creatures committing such acts now would surely commit even worse ones later.
They say you shouldn't hate the person, just the sin.
But it's ridiculous to overlook the fact that people are the ones committing those sins.
Repentance is a word that only works on those who might actually repent.
"I'm truly at a loss on what to do with you all."
"Guhhh…."
"You have abilities. Connections. You must think you can do anything. Of course. I understand. Humans are creatures who only feel satisfied when they wield power over whatever they grasp, aren't they?"
Pure love and harem can never coexist.
But within the realm of tastes, all can be respected.
It's natural for each person to desire and dream of different pictures.
"But you see, even so, there are things that are allowed and things that aren't."
Harem faction or pure love faction—neither side could ever accept it.
That enormous sin you all just committed. Do you understand?
As he gently pressed his foot against the throat of the pinned man, a groan escaped.
The two male cadets, whose eyes had swollen into black slits from the beatings.
They had been pummeled so much that they were a bloody mess, writhing on the floor.
"Especially 'pure love'—from a historical perspective of humanity, it must be protected at all costs."
"Kuhhh…!"
"Childhood friend pure love, no less? Hahaha. Hahahaha! This is on the level of a national treasure! How wonderful to behold! How precious! How beautiful! Aaaah! Just thinking about it makes my heart swell!"
This was no mere joke from the Smiling Man within.
These were words spoken in utter sincerity. Praise and a simple enumeration of facts.
And these beasts had tried to touch that.
"Now, everyone. Let me pose a question. According to Korean law, what happens if you touch a national treasure?"
"Ughhh…."
"Yes! Correct. The answer is 'you get punished!' Hahaha! Since you've got it right, I'll stop tormenting you now!"
Pulling on the mana threads wrapped around his hands, the two cadets' bodies were forcibly lifted.
A little more force, and they might be torn apart entirely.
But that wouldn't do. No. Absolutely not here.
"This is the love nest of a childhood friend pure love couple. Defiling such a place with beasts' blood would be an outrage against heaven and earth! Pure love knight, are you watching? I've carried out your will! Hahaha!"
Let's see. The confession video was already recorded and safely stored earlier.
All that's left is to prepare signs to hang around these guys' necks and find the right spot.
"Hmm."
A perfect location popped into Yushin's mind.
He had been planning to toss a bomb at the Union anyway.
And it turns out this guy's father is a Union high-ranking official.
It fits perfectly. Nothing could be better.
"I want to ally with heroes, not the Union or anything like it."
Now then. Before leaving this place.
"Shall our childhood friend pure love couple stay here looking all cute?"
The hallucination mustn't break, so the guy's arms are still touching the couple.
Through this, he'll just tweak their memories to explain why they're like this.
"Let's see. Hmm, as expected. It's Friday evening, so how about the classic ramen-before-leaving development?"
Sitting on the sofa, as if they'd just been chatting amicably moments ago.
Yes. This is perfect! The picture is too good! Applause! Applause!!
"Everyone? No applause?"
At Yushin's words, the bloody mess Kim Woo-jun hurriedly clapped.
Even looking generous, he was half-dead, yet he somehow managed to make clapping sounds.
Shin Jae-gon had his arms forcibly pinned to the couple by mana threads.
Unable to clap, he could only tremble.
"This is perfect. Now! Let's get out of here!"
The window opened, and mana threads spread into the air first.
Yushin vanished into the darkness, followed by the two male cadets flying out.
By the time their desperate screams of "Uwaaaah…!" faded into the night.
"…Huh?"
"Huh?"
Jeong Hye-seon and Yoo Sang-hyun, their dazed expressions clearing, looked around.
That's weird? Weren't we at the front door just now?
When did we come inside and end up sitting on the sofa together?
And somehow, their positions were oddly intimate, like they were holding each other….
"Ah?"
"Uh. Ah! S-sorry!"
The two hurriedly pulled away, stealing glances at each other.
Embarrassed, but they'd never gone this far in skinship before.
So both the girl and the boy quickly scooted apart.
For several minutes, they worried if the other could hear their pounding hearts.
"D-dinner. We should eat, right?"
"Huh? Y-yeah? Ah. Shall we go out…."
"Sure…. Ra-ramen. Want to have ramen before going?"
"Uh…. Y-yeah?"
Around the time those lines left their mouths.
It felt like a pure love squinting-eye somewhere was giving a thumbs-up. Or was it just imagination?
This is the summary of yesterday's pure love squinting-eye character's heroic exploits.
The full story of the incident where two male cadets were hung up at the Union Korea Branch.
This happened while the Union's efforts to persuade the Smiling Man continued.
"…So, you kidnapped them, assaulted, imprisoned, tortured them, and hung them up like that?"
The team leader stared at the news screen, his voice filled with shock.
Even turning ordinary cadets into that would be a huge problem.
But of all things, that cadet's father is a Union high-ranking official.
He's close to political figures too, so the backlash will be enormous!
Everything will spiral out of control. No matter how much field agents persuade, it won't matter.
The Union leadership will see the Smiling Man as a clear enemy.
He's shaking and mocking the order they established.
This means no surrender—they'll order his complete elimination.
Notifications flooded the team leader's phone screen.
All from Union channels that only activate during emergencies.
"…Damn it all."
A code signaling that public backlash against the Union would intensify.
No need for the team leader to search—the reason was spreading across the world.
Uncomfortable stares at the Union. Doubts about heroes.
They'd heard it had been buried deep, never to surface.
Yet a mere cadet, not even a hero, had blown it wide open.
"Ah! By the way, I told them to keep quiet about the victims. The stones should go only to those who deserve them—can't have weird talk flying at innocents, right? Hahaha!"
"…."
This is blatant crime. No country allows private sanctions.
Not because they're villains—even heroes can't be forgiven for this.
The Union leadership probably planned to use it to discredit the Smiling Man.
Shouting to the public: Look, he's just a criminal after all.
Villains are villains. They leap over the world's fences as they please!
'But in the current situation, even that won't work.'
Of all people, the one hung up is the son of a Union high official—a future hero who should be the model citizen.
Yet he committed this absurd act, so the incident will blow up huge.
Rumors say protesters are already gathering in front of the Union branch.
The Union clearly has massive support.
But not everyone. Opposition exists too.
Such dynamics can flip anytime.
This incident might just be the spark for major change.
"Is this what you are? Smiling Man?"
"What do you mean?"
"Even if you surrender, it's to heroes, not the Union."
"Ah, not that I planned it, but it turned out this way. Hahaha!"
The team leader admits it too. The Union now is not what it was.
Confidence turned to arrogance, duty to privilege.
It started as an organization to support heroes.
But over time, it began directly controlling them.
Now it dreams of an era of Union without heroes.
It came down after all. The leadership must be erupting in fury.
Not because of touching a cadet. They wouldn't rage over that.
They can't tolerate the challenge to the Union itself.
Grabbing a high official's son, beating him half to death.
Then hanging him in front of the Union branch like a trophy!
And scattering the confession video everywhere to boot!
"Smiling Man."
"Yes! I'm listening!"
"I don't know the details, but this won't end well for you."
"What, tracking me? Come anytime! I'll be waiting!"
"If only it were just that."
Right after the team leader finished speaking.
Citizens' phones in Han River Park blared alarms in unison.
Unlike the team leader, who had a rough idea and stayed calm.
And unlike the Smiling Man, unshaken by knowing the future.
"What is this…."
Lee Bora checked her phone, then gasped at the distant roar.
"Kyaaaaak!!"
"Uaack!!"
"V-Villain!!"
Explosions and flames erupted here and there, screams echoing.
At the same time, Lee Bora spun around and bolted somewhere madly.
The direction of that explosion just now. That place with rising flames.
"No!!"
It was where the orphanage kids were having lunch.