Chapter 49
Chapter 49
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 49
Chapter Title: Three Knights (1)
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◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 📰 Breaking News Villain attacks on citizens have been occurring frequently across the city in recent times. Amid dozens of violent assault incidents happening regardless of time or place, the Hero Union, which had been closely monitoring the situation, has declared its intent to draw its sword. This is reporter Yeom Sang-hyeon. ◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ On a boulevard in S City where citizens were passing by on their way home from work.
A hulking man, stripped to the waist, swung a weapon at civilians, while a woman with a distinctive appearance hurled explosives beside him, destroying the street.
Before long, several dispatched heroes arrived to subdue them, but they were ruthlessly defeated by the two villains, presumed to possess supernatural abilities.
The villain organization 'Dark Knights,' which was reported to have been annihilated by the Hero Union's exploits a few months ago.
This evening, due to an attack by a man and woman known to be executive-level villains from that organization, dozens of citizens including the dispatched heroes were injured, and six buildings were destroyed.
"I thought the heroes had arrived and it would be quelled soon, but I never imagined they'd be taken down without even putting up a proper fight."
The two villains defeated all the heroes dispatched by the Union, ransacked valuables from the ruined buildings, and leisurely departed the scene.
In response, a Hero Union official issued a statement.
"Although we arrested most villains presumed to be executives after the organization's annihilation, we're experiencing some setbacks in subduing a few with powerful supernatural abilities."
"We first apologize to the anxious citizens."
"We are currently conducting a large-scale pursuit operation with hundreds of Union agents and heroes, and we will arrest them all as soon as possible to ensure citizens can live safely."
Villain city attacks are increasing every year.
It's time for the Hero Union and police to share information closely and deliver clear, decisive punishment to these heinous villains.
STV News, reporter Yeom Sang-hyeon.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "What? The broadcast is way more boring than I expected. Tsk!"
A woman with a sharp red bob haircut, sliced clean like with a knife in one stroke.
She crunched on a piece of crispy baked bread while staring intently at the monitor screen airing today's news on the villain city attack.
"Hey. Isn't there something more stimulating, described way more harshly?"
She poked the shoulder of the person sitting next to her, complaining boredly even after seeing such provocative news.
"Th-that side... th-there's a... related video... just click that..."
The woman whose shoulder was poked timidly lifted her head and pointed at the monitor displaying the replay button.
"What? You telling me to find it myself, you bitch?! What kind of talk is that?!"
"Eek?! S-sorry...!"
She had bright fluorescent green bobbed hair.
Startled by the redhead's furious shout, she toppled backward.
"Hey. You here to play around?"
"What?"
Hearing a thick voice calling her name, she kicked back her chair and stood up in a rage.
- Thud!
A man with a gaze as cold as a corpse, pale skin, yet a solidly muscled physique contrasting it all easily caught her fist.
"No time for games. We need to find either Leader Kaiser or Trickster as soon as possible."
"Easy for you to say. Weren't you two the ones who just royally screwed up a job earlier?"
She pulled a comb from her pants pocket and neatly brushed her vibrant red hair.
Villain 'Crazy Chain' Shin Da-in kept grumbling even at serious talk.
"It was essential. Some no-name grunts latched onto us without knowing whose side they were on. Right, Firecracker?"
"N-not that name... just call me Serin... or Rui-lin..."
At the man's words, villain 'Firecracker' Hong Rui-lin fidgeted with her fingers.
"And in the process... we secured plenty of necessary funds."
The man calmed the fuming woman and tossed a large suitcase onto the floor.
When Rui-lin unzipped it to check inside, bundles of cash spilled out in a messy heap.
"That should hold us for about a week."
Villain 'Executioner' Park Gyu-han lay down wearily on the rickety bed next to the computer.
"Tch... You go around making a huge scene everywhere and now you're bragging."
"Isn't it just daily life? This kind of thing making the news."
She kept sniping, but he responded dryly without a care.
She, who had been poking at him, fumed even more, but given the situation, she knew picking a fight wouldn't help.
"So, any contact? That fox-like bitch is supposed to be with Leader Kaiser."
"Contact was fine until two days ago. We were set to meet one-on-one. But Trickster didn't show, and now communication's cut off."
When the Dark Knights' hideout was raided by the heroes' operation, three of the Four Knights—excluding 'Trickster' Chae-ryeong—weren't there.
They only learned their organization was in peril after Chae-ryeong, who had escaped swiftly with Leader Kaiser, contacted them.
"She probably got chased by heroes again somewhere. Anyway... that cat-like bitch. Never liked her."
"From what surviving subordinates who've made contact say, she was spotted at a fast-food joint in downtown S City before vanishing."
"Y-yes! M-my subordinates told me... too..."
Rui-lin and Park Gyu-han knew some of her last movements, but Shin Da-in tilted her head, clueless.
"Why don't my grunts tell me stuff like that? Why am I the only one left out?!"
"That's what happens when you treat your subordinates like crap."
"Y-yeah... hehe..."
Strictly speaking, neither of the other two had great reputations with their men in the past, but Shin Da-in was on another level.
Due to her intensely sadistic tendencies, she frequently abused or tormented her subordinates.
Especially any combatant with an appealing look—regardless of gender.
Stories abounded of her chaining up dozens of decent-looking subordinates and choking them, or peeling layer after layer of flesh from muscular fighters.
She used not just captured civilians but even loyal underlings to satisfy her urges.
These tales spread among her combat troops, breeding widespread resentment for transfers to other units.
Of course, she rampaged with destruction and pursued her desires without restraint, so she never cared what her men thought.
"Whatever. You guys handle it anyway. I'll just pick some guy or girl I like and play with them on the side."
"Hehe... I-I wanna blow everything up quick too... hee hee!"
"Can't rein you two in. Sigh..."
He'd maintained a blank expression throughout, but seeing them so slavishly devoted to their desires, he furrowed his brow and sighed.
"Anyway. We need to decide fast. Find Trickster first, or Leader Kaiser first?"
"Obviously Leader Kaiser first. What do we care what happens to Chae-ryeong?"
"As I said earlier, she's the one who went with Leader Kaiser. Without her, we're stuck chasing vague leads to find his hideout."
"Th-then... like before... we split up and search, right?"
"What? Split up again? Such a hassle?"
Shin Da-in vented her dissatisfaction at Rui-lin's suggestion.
She kept complaining, making one wonder why, but this time there was a clear reason.
Like any mid-tier villain group, Dark Knights had prepared several safehouses besides the main base for emergencies.
But due to villains' high turnover from deaths and arrests, even top executives like them didn't know full organizational details.
"None of us here know the safehouse info, right? With the base gone, classified data's hard to recover too."
"I-I'll send my subordinates to... f-find where Trickster is...!"
"Not as much as her, but I know some base info vaguely. I'll keep searching places Leader Kaiser might be."
"Wh-what? Why's everyone staring?!"
'Executioner' Park Gyu-han and 'Firecracker' Hong Rui-lin, having decided their tasks, turned to 'Crazy Chain' Shin Da-in, who had just listened silently.
"What're you gonna do? Pick quick. If you can't decide, tag along with me or her."
"Acting like you're my boss? Ha! I'll do my own thing."
She slammed her fist on the desk and stormed out of their hideout.
"What an uncooperative one. Rui... lin, was it?"
"Y-yes...!"
"Contact me with any good news or info. Can't stay here long myself."
- Crash! Bang!
"Wh-what's that noise outside?!"
"Looks like more annoying flies tracked us down."
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