Chapter 21
Chapter 21
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: The Mayor's Irresistible Skill
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'Hmm. I hadn't planned on gobbling him up today.'
Weee-ooo-weee-ooo!!!
Do-hyun scratched his head as the siren's wail echoed from the hotel.
He'd originally intended to wait at least a month before dealing with the mayor.
LA city regulations required a special election 120 days after any mishap befell the mayor.
120 days was a bit tight to accomplish everything Do-hyun had planned.
Still, he hadn't acted today because he couldn't suppress his 'appetite.'
If someone has a skill this tempting, how could I possibly hold back?
Unexpectedly, the mayor was a rare type of mage class.
Different from mental mages, they were generally dismissed as worthless trash tier...
But not this mayor.
He possessed an incredibly useful unique skill.
- Skill.
It was a skill that could generate powerful favor from the masses.
He doesn't seem to have used it properly, though.
The reason he'd become mayor was because he'd run as the Labor Party candidate.
In California, pinning on a Labor Party badge guaranteed victory, no matter who wore it.
For the record, to avoid any misunderstandings: the Labor Party wasn't any more rotten than the others. Labor, Liberty—they were all equally corrupt.
Anyway, the guy's personal popularity wasn't high.
A wide-area hypnosis skill like this isn't easy to use effectively. But I'm different.
Combined with the things Do-hyun planned to do next, it could be used in enormously powerful ways.
At that moment, he sensed someone approaching.
"......Genocider."
"Yo, buddy? Good work?"
It was the FBI's Roder McKay!
As per Do-hyun's 'request' to the FBI director, Roder had been assigned to exclusively tail Genocider and had followed him all the way to LA.
And the reason Roder was here now?
"You done?"
"......We arrested all the party participants for now. We've also recovered all the victims."
I figured you'd handle the small fry too...
Do-hyun wasn't a pleasure killer.
......Hard to believe, but true.
Anyway, Do-hyun only felt 'appetite' toward villains because of Devourer of Evil Destruction.
That said, honestly, even Do-hyun sometimes got confused, wondering if he really wasn't a pleasure killer, having assimilated so deeply with it.
So unless absolutely necessary, he preferred not to handle the small fry himself.
"I called in the LAPD because I suspected they were in on it too. Thanks for the hard work."
"......Shut your mouth. Did you kill Mayor Palmer?"
"I just happened to pass by and made a report? If you want an honest answer, turn off the recorder first."
"Haa......"
Roder glared at Do-hyun like he wanted to kill him, then pulled out a cigarette and lit up.
Then, he said something completely unexpected.
"......Thanks."
"Huh?"
Roder exploded.
"Whether you're Genocider, a vigilante, or a damn devil! What happened today—and in Washington—you did good! Thanks for doing what the FBI couldn't, you fucking prick!!"
Do-hyun looked awkward.
I never knew Roder was such a 'romantic' guy...
The Roder that Do-hyun knew was a ruthless bastard without a drop of mercy.
Well, a romantic like this must've become a vigilante for some reason. I don't know what happened midway.
Whether it was anger at thanking Do-hyun or embarrassment, Roder kept cursing nonstop.
"Fuck! Fuck!"
"Korean has a great word for times like this: ssibal."
"I know ssibal too, ssibal!! Anyway, I'm gonna catch you, ssibal!!!"
After fuming for a while, Roder said something unexpected.
"Watch your back."
"Yeah?"
"What you did is as good as poking the NHD cartel. They won't leave you alone."
NHD (Neo-Healthy Drug).
The awakener drug of the new era, replacing narcotics.
-Irresponsible pleasure with NHD!
There were many kinds of arcane businesses: military, medical, tech, and so on.
Among them, the golden goose was NHD, sold massively as a side-effect-free awakener drug, just like the ads claimed.
"NHD aren't just pharmaceutical companies—they're no different from mafias. Mayor Palmer's Helstech is a subsidiary of the most infamous pharma in the NHD cartel. In other words, you've made an enemy of Everhard Union, one of the top companies in the AS 100."
In the past, America's representative companies were the S&P 500 or Nasdaq 100.
Not anymore.
AS 100.
The 100 companies tied to arcane science now represented America.
I'll swallow them all eventually.
Do-hyun had of course known that the LA mayor was connected to Helstech. That's why he'd targeted it on purpose.
As the first step toward dominating the arcane business world.
"The NHD cartel was already eyeing you badly because of Senator Parks. He played a big role in getting NHD legalized. And now even Mayor Palmer......"
"Hmm, thanks for worrying?"
"It's not worry—it's that I, Roder, have to be the one to arrest you!"
"Japan, our neighbor in Korea, has a word for this: tsundere......"
"Shut up!!"
"Anyway, mind giving me a ride? LA city center's a bit far from here."
"Get out!!"
Roder stormed off in a huff, and Do-hyun shrugged before calling a taxi app.
......Should I have forced my way into Roder's car?
Do-hyun looked around with a bewildered expression.
Where the hell is this?
He'd definitely taken a taxi.
But it was a robber!
Not just robbing his wallet—they were trying to kidnap him somewhere to harvest his organs!
He'd dealt with them appropriately and called another taxi. But again, robbers!
Fucking America. Fucking California.
He finally gave up on taxis and was rummaging through the robber's keys to take their cab instead.
Screech—
A car pulled up in front of Do-hyun.
A supercar.
Not a Bentley or Rolls-Royce, but a hover car using arcane science tech, floating in the air.
The driver's window rolled down, revealing a young Hispanic woman's face.
"Wanna hop in, cutie boy?"
Do-hyun whistled.
Not just the American standard of sexy glamour—she was genuinely beautiful even to him.
Of course, he wasn't whistling at her beauty.
"Why not?"
Sara.
The Demon Queen of LA had appeared before Do-hyun.
Hover car.
A car that floated slightly in the air and flew, just like in sci-fi movies.
Its advantage wasn't speed, but freedom from traffic jams since it traveled through the air.
Definitely not weak. At this point in the timeline, she's incredibly strong.
A massive compliment.
True to her infamy as LA's Demon Queen, Sara was stronger than anyone Do-hyun had met in this regression cycle.
A full Lv. 8 Nova rank.
Her Soul Force wasn't overwhelmingly potent, but it was refined through countless battles.
Soul Force matters not just in raw power, but how well you wield it.
Mistaking Do-hyun's scrutiny for tension, Sara spoke up.
"Don't be so nervous. A handsome guy like you is humanity's treasure—I won't kill you easily."
Do-hyun smiled.
No strong appetite here.
She was definitely a horrific villain. Her soul reeked enormously of blood.
But Devourer of Evil Destruction showed no interest in her, like rice cakes painted on a screen.
The more grotesquely evil, the stronger the appetite from Devourer.
Meaning Sara wasn't a grotesque villain, but one with her own convictions.
Like Genocider.
Hmm... this is a problem.
Do-hyun's plans naturally included dealing with Sara.
Even if she was a villain of conviction and justice, that didn't mean he couldn't kill her.
It just wouldn't be fun.
Best to enjoy the work when doing it, but this seemed boring.
"You just spaced out, didn't you? What're you thinking about with a beauty like me right here?"
"Wondering when I'll get home? You're beautiful, sure, but not exactly my type."
"Haha!! You're fun! No wonder you're shaking up the whole US!"
Sara gazed intently at Do-hyun.
"Wanna sleep with me? No misunderstanding—this is serious. I like you. I'll spoil you rotten."
An invitation to join her ranks. Probably including sleeping together, too.
A lover-cum-subordinate offer.
"Sorry, but I have unique tastes. No physiological response if you're not my type."
Sara laughed heartily and didn't push further.
After that, she focused silently on driving and dropped Do-hyun at his destination.
"This the place?"
"First time here, but yeah, looks right."
The immigration office had prepared a place for Do-hyun to stay.
West Hollywood—an expensive, safe, livable neighborhood in LA.
"Isn't this too shabby? You're the hero who saved America, but they couldn't even get you a Beverly Hills mansion? My lowliest underling lives better than this."
"This is plenty."
Not the absolute richest area, but equivalent to greater Gangnam by Seoul standards.
"Won't reconsider my offer?"
"Persistent for someone so laid-back looking?"
"It's a shame. I really like you. Feels like I'll end up killing you eventually."
Sara stared straight at Do-hyun.
"My creed is to protect attractive men like you as humanity's treasures. I'll treat you real nice."
Do-hyun stared right back at Sara.
No 'appetite' no matter how he looked.
"Lemme ask you something. Wanna be my dog by any chance?"
"......What?"
"You're not my type for romance, but I could keep you as a pet."
A chilly silence fell for a moment.
Sara gave Do-hyun a cold glare unlike before, but he met it with bored indifference.
If you became my dog, I might spare you. But that ain't happening.
The tense mood vanished quickly.
Sara laughed it off like it'd been a hilarious joke.
"Too bad. Really too bad. No idea when I'll have to kill you, but I hope it's as late as possible. Change your mind, hit me up anytime."
The hover car hummed softly as it lifted into the air and vanished.
Do-hyun shrugged and headed toward the 'house' the immigration office had prepared.
Want some soju with spicy pork stir-fry.
Random as hell, but he suddenly craved Korean food bad!
Koreatown wasn't far, but it was late evening—restaurants would be closed.
Maybe hit a Korean spot first thing tomorrow...
But then he tilted his head.
Standing at the door, a familiar smell wafted from inside.
......? Kimchi stew? No way. A Korean next door?
Do-hyun unlocked the door with the key from immigration—
And froze.
It wasn't from next door.
Kimchi stew smell was coming from inside the house!
......Who's there?
Someone was inside.
He thought maybe a hitman luring him with kimchi stew, but no killing intent.
Heading to the second floor where he sensed presence, an unexpected sight unfolded.
......A woman in hanbok was prostrated, waiting for Do-hyun.
No, flat on the floor, it was more like Japan's dogeza than a deep bow.
"......Who are you?"
Coming home to a strange woman prostrated? Even after nine regressions, this was a first—Do-hyun was flustered.
"Have you arrived, Master?"
Korean after so long.
Not foreigner Korean, but native-like pronunciation.
But the face that appeared was Anglo-Saxon white. And a stunning beauty at that.
If Sara had been a healthy, vibrant beauty, this woman was a classy Western doll-like beauty.
"I am Nora Cecil, assigned to serve Do-hyun from now on. I shall address you as Master."
The settling assistant Do-hyun had requested from immigration.
The Dollar Princess who toyed with Wall Street.
No—the woman who, after America's fall, would conquer over half the American continent and reign as Queen.
......In a somewhat odd pose.