Chapter 33
Chapter 33
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Retribution (3)
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[Suspect in Park Adultery Murder Attempt Case, Shin Jeong-hwa, Dies While Fleeing.]
[Hero Association: Forced to Shoot After She Escaped Transport Vehicle, Took Hostage, and Resisted Violently.]
One week after the Shin Jeong-hwa incident came to a close.
I learned about her fate through an internet news article.
"Died while fleeing, huh."
I paused in my cooking prep and reflected on her actions.
Even though we'd been entangled in bad blood, I hadn't wished for her death, so I briefly wondered if hypnotizing her had been the right call.
"You did well."
Then, without hesitation, I muttered to myself in self-assurance.
'If I hadn't hypnotized her, Lee Seo-yeon would've ended up in the same mess as before.'
Would a perp from her school days, now an adult, invite her old victim to a party out of the goodness of her heart?
It was obvious she wanted to rekindle their broken ties, and just as obvious what she'd do after.
'Sure, she might've genuinely regretted her immature mistakes from back then and wanted to make amends...'
If that were the case, she wouldn't have tanked her reputation under my hypnosis that prevents lying.
She was still a birth-discriminatory elitist, and Lee Seo-yeon was factory-born, so history would've repeated itself.
'The aftermath makes it clear.'
My hypnosis forcing her to reveal her true nature got her disciplined by her guild.
But there was zero reason to drag Lee Seo-yeon into it.
She could've just snuck into a gate alone, gotten hit by a monster's mental attack, kept it secret to hide her illegal gate entry, then blamed her weird outbursts on the severity of the mental assault. With her track record, she'd have gotten some leniency.
'She knew the underworld well enough to hire villains, so she could've faked a mental attack certification the same way.'
But Shin Jeong-hwa didn't go that route.
She used the crisis that came knocking as an excuse to drag Lee Seo-yeon down with her.
Pouring all her rage and hatred onto her.
'And even then, she targeted me instead of the Millennium Guild to avoid getting tangled up with them.'
I hadn't realized it before, but that was the only reason she'd go after me.
If she'd known I hypnotized her, she'd have spilled it during interrogation.
But she didn't, which naturally tied her targeting me to Lee Seo-yeon.
"The reason was probably..."
Inferiority complex.
Toward the factory-born girl she'd always looked down on, who was now outshining her.
'Come to think of it, that one time...'
The day she came to the cafe looking for me.
During our talk, Shin Jeong-hwa had said this.
[But man, Seo-yeon sure is lucky. Working at the Millennium Guild. I wanted to work there too.]
The expression she'd shown then was pure, unfeigned envy.
Meaning her inferiority complex wasn't just romantic—it was professional too.
'So if I hadn't stepped in, Shin Jeong-hwa would've stirred up trouble.'
Having grown into an adult with some status and power.
She would've pressured Lee Seo-yeon in even more insidious, varied ways than before.
And if Lee Seo-yeon buckled under that pressure and broke?
This time, she might've made an irreversible choice from the trauma, something truly irreparable.
"After all the work I put into reforming her. Can't let my first collection piece get ruined."
So no more dwelling on this.
Better to worry about Yu-ra noona instead—she'd been super anxious. Gotta practice cooking for when she gets back.
'She was really worried, huh?'
I'd heard about the incident separately, and during our call, she'd kept asking if I was okay, her voice full of concern.
'Said she'd come back ASAP, so I need to prep.'
She was so worried she'd canceled most of her schedule and planned to return to Korea soon.
The thought of seeing noona again made me chuckle as I hit play on the cooking video on my smartphone.
[A pinch of flavorful salt, and the magic sauce—oyster sauce—then boom, perfect fried rice!]
There's a saying in romance:
To win a man's heart, fill his stomach first!
Updated for modern times: To win a woman's heart, fill her stomach first!
"I've only ever received from noona. Time for me to give back."
So I'll become a guy who cooks well and capture noona's stomach.
"Her favorite guy showing his domestic side? And whipping up tasty food too?"
Irresistible.
Fancy dishes are beyond me still, so home cooking it is.
"Hm. Not bad."
Then it hit me out of nowhere.
I wonder how that villain who tried to kidnap me is doing?
'I hit her with the most painful hypnosis possible that also benefits society, but no updates on her.'
She's still on my hypnosis list, so she's alive at least.
Eh, she'll suffer on her own just fine.
"Next up: pork and potato stew."
＊＊＊
After gates appeared.
Humanity faced existential threats from monsters, but on the flip side, old crises vanished.
Like climate change.
"Ugh, time to work."
Fossil fuels had caused air pollution and global warming.
But with humanity decimated by gates, energy use plummeted, averting disaster once.
As we rebounded, Awakeners replaced fossil fuels, and global warming ceased to exist.
"Sigh, what's the point of a fat salary? Work's still brutal. I'd quit if I could."
"If you hate it that much, sign up as a Hunter."
"Just kidding. Better than risking your life for cash."
Flame-affinity Awakeners ran thermal plants.
Electric-affinity ones supplied power.
Telekinesis users scooped ocean trash, nurturing marine ecosystems.
"Alright, everyone—let's hustle today too!"
"Yeah!"
Right now, employees at a Korean thermal plant were firing it up for the day.
No one here burned with zeal to save the planet, but producing energy was like making oil, so they boasted salaries above conglomerates, below high-rank Hunters—eight figures annually.
"Newbie? You're adapting way better than we feared. Let's crush it today!"
"......Yes."
The plant had a fresh newbie.
When she first arrived, everyone fretted.
Burn scars all over her face, mask on—could she even control her skills properly?
"This newbie's solid. Killer firepower."
"Great mana adaptation and reserves too."
"Makes our jobs easier."
But contrary to worries, she adapted fast and excelled at work.
Her face had clearly brought hellish trials, leaving her antisocial, but she'd open up in time.
"......"
So the staff thought.
But the newbie's inner thoughts differed.
'Why am I stuck doing this crap?'
Her identity: Gang Hwa-ryeon, aka "No Face."
New ID and self-inflicted burns had shaken her pursuers off the organization.
But she wasn't free.
[Cannot commit crimes.]
[Hold a legitimate job and work diligently.]
Hypnosis was etched into her instincts like breathing.
Unable to resist, Gang Hwa-ryeon took the thermal plant gig.
High pay made life cushier than villainy, but her mind frayed day by day.
"How long... do I have to live like this?"
She wanted to torch passersby.
Hypnosis hadn't touched her psychopathic sadist side.
Denied what she craved— she'd indulged villain-style without restraint, so the loss felt like a toy snatched from a kid.
"Urk."
Humans adapt, though?
Long crime drought dulled her pyromaniac urges a bit.
But Yoo Jun-hyuk didn't want her comfy.
[Once a month, relive in dreams the peak pleasure moment of your life.]
"Ahh......"
Not just killing one person.
No extenuating circumstances.
He wasn't magnanimous enough to go easy on a murderer who'd killed for fun.
"Hic......"
Periodic villain-era dream memories reignited fading desires.
Despair thickens with hope glimpsed, and her dream-teased hopes deepened her abyss.
[Gain 1/3 of past peak pleasure during volunteer work.]
To prevent total breakdown?
Or just hating her mere survival?
Yoo Jun-hyuk's hypnosis served society; craving old highs, Gang Hwa-ryeon—on weekly pay—hit department stores.
[Today, introducing Nirvana's hot new item everyone's been waiting for!]
A massive store screen aired a shopping channel.
Hosts hyped a bracelet on silk cushions.
[Quantity over quality? Nah—Nirvana's motto is master craftsmanship. Rare drops, but they steal the spotlight!]
[Yes! After a year, new Nirvana merch! That green mana stone bracelet is gorgeous.]
[Looks like emerald!]
Ignoring the broadcast, Gang Hwa-ryeon shopped for orphanage donations—factory-born kids like her.
[Pretty outside, but artifacts shine on performance, right?]
[Ooh, can't wait. Specs?]
[Universal mana manifestation skill imbued!]
[Whoa, really?]
[Yes! Output rivals a minimum B-Rank Hunter. Insane!]
[With this, even non-Awakeners could Hunter-up!]
Blowing most of her weekly pay post-bills.
[Best part? No separate mana charging! Nirvana exclusive.]
[How?! Mana stones aren't alive. Wild!]
[Trade secret—even I don't know. Artisan's special skill?]
She loaded up on gifts, hit the orphanage, handed them out—deep loss eased a tad.
"Haa......"
Pitiful compared to before.
Physical satisfaction impossible, but mental balm soothed her.
Mere wet cotton swab on parched lips—thirst soon worsened the torment.
"Next... maybe the hospital......"
Clinging even to this, she pondered her next volunteer spot.
This was a free prison.
"Haha...... Gotta sleep early for work tomorrow."
No.
A free hell.