Chapter 134: Her Voice (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 134: Her Voice (2)
"You were wise not to pick a fight."
Lee Ru-da spoke calmly after hearing my story.
She glanced at the business card Baek Seo-woo had left behind, tossed it in front of me, and picked up her tumbler.
"He’s a dangerous villain, classified as a terrorist by the state. Even I have to be careful when facing him."
That’s insane. If even Lee Ru-da has to be cautious, just how strong is he?
I’m glad I didn't try anything. If I’d lost my cool and lunged at him, I would’ve been on a one-way trip to the afterlife.
Hearing Lee Ru-da’s words, Ellie gulped, her expression tense.
Ah, right. You did try to pick a fight once.
Lee Ru-da glanced at Ellie, who was blinking and shifting her eyes nervously, before turning her gaze back to me.
"I’ve crossed paths with him a few times, but he’s an unpredictable man, so be careful. You’re keeping the beacon on you at all times, right?"
"Yes, I have it."
Ever since I was kidnapped by the New Human Alliance, I’ve made sure to carry the beacon Square Garden provided. I was actually fiddling with it while facing Baek Seo-woo, debating whether or not to use it.
"They’re a group that likes to pretend they’re righteous, so even if they contact you again, they’ll likely act like 'ladies.' Don't provoke them unnecessarily; just send them away and contact me immediately."
"Yes, ma'am. Understood."
I’m glad Lee Ru-da is looking out for me. Having one of Korea’s strongest powers as a guardian is incredibly reassuring.
Before leaving, I asked a question that had been bugging me.
"But why would 'The Hero' be interested in me?"
"They probably think you share the same ideals as them."
"......?"
Huh? Since when?
I’d appeared on shows like Survival Hero and acted like a hotshot who was doing well for himself. My hero card sold for 15 billion won—a price 'The Hero' would surely despise—and I’ve been selling my name everywhere, even collaborating with Poltsmith to manufacture guns.
No matter how you look at it, I don't fit their vibe at all.
Lee Ru-da looked at me with pity in her eyes.
"You have a look on your face that says you haven't a clue. Do you really not know what your public image is like right now?"
"Someone who chases a bit of fame and likes money?"
"You view the world objectively, yet you fail to see yourself objectively."
Lee Ru-da let out a small sigh. Ellie nodded in agreement, adding that I should at least remove the words "a bit" from my description.
"To the public, you have the image of a true hero."
"Eeeeh... Me?"
Ellie stared at me with her mouth agape, looking like she couldn't believe her ears. I’ll deal with her later. But me? A heroic image?
"Despite the flood of requests to appear on broadcasts, you silently focus on conquering dungeons and protecting the safety of the citizens."
"I did go on one, though. A variety show. And I do interviews and press conferences occasionally."
"Key word: occasionally. Do you even know how many broadcast invitations you’ve turned down? I shouldn't even have to tell you."
It was quite a lot, actually. I’d been drawing attention for various reasons since I was D-rank. If I had to count all the requests, big and small, that I’d rejected since then, it would easily be in the hundreds.
"You appeared on Survival Hero, but that was only once. After that, you focused on dungeons again. People think you’re silently doing the work a hero is supposed to do."
"Well... I guess it could be seen that way."
"And you’ve captured several villains, including Millionface. Even when you were captured by the New Human Alliance, you used your wits to rescue the men. You’ve perfectly embodied the hero the people desire."
That might be true, but... technically, I didn't do it all myself.
It’s true I caught Millionface, but he was destined to be caught by Lee Ru-da anyway. The reason Lee Ru-da was late to rescue us back then was that she’d realized what the villains were after and was waiting under the district office in advance. She’d suppressed the villains who tunneled in and then came to us after we’d already taken down Millionface and Pink Head.
Yet, she gave all the credit to me and Lee Yu-na.
As for the New Human Alliance, I fought hard against the Madam until the very end, but I was on the verge of being defeated. In the end, it was Lee Ru-da who saved us.
Come to think of it, I owe my life to Lee Ru-da twice now.
"Silently slaying monsters, bravely fighting and suppressing villains stronger than yourself, and even showing your character on a variety show. While other heroes were busy keeping each other in check, you were picking coconuts to share with them or sharing the prizes you won in games."
I only did that to get on their good side so they wouldn't try anything stupid...
"Isn't that enough? To 'The Hero,' you are the ideal hero—one who doesn't dwell on desire, slays monsters, and silently saves people."
"I guess... so..."
"You’re quite popular with villains."
"Ahahaha... I have no intention of becoming a villain myself."
"Good. I’m glad I brought you into Square Garden. If you ever feel like you’re becoming a villain, let me know. I’ll do my best to stop you."
Ah... yes... I’ll be careful.
Was I supposed to laugh?
I walked out with an awkward smile at Lee Ru-da’s joke—a mix of praise, warning, and trust.
She offered to assign me a security detail if I felt uneasy, but I declined. As she said, if they’re a 'gentlemanly' group, they won't do anything reckless, and she didn't judge them to be an immediate threat yet.
I went down to the training ground to practice with my party.
Not wanting to worry them, I didn't mention meeting Baek Seo-woo and just focused on training as usual. We worked so hard that even the senior heroes told us to take it easy.
It was a good thing everyone followed my lead; if I’d had a troublemaker like Im Jin-ah, there would’ve been complaints long ago. They were finding the new tactics interesting, and thanks to the effects of the Booster, their abilities were improving by the day, so no one grew lazy.
"Your timing on the entry here is half a beat slow. Instead of moving after watching Ye-jin or A-young, it would be better to move first and have them adjust to Anna..."
While I was giving feedback while watching the recorded simulation training, my smartphone rang.
Has it been half a day already?
I glanced at the 'No Caller ID' on the screen—which had basically become my alarm clock by now—and ignored it.
"Master, aren't you going to pick up?"
"No, I’ve been getting a lot of strange calls lately."
I told the party members about the calls where the person only breathed into the phone.
"Is it a stalker...?"
"Master, give me the phone. You have to be firm with people like that for them to snap out of it."
"I’ll handle it properly later."
"Pick up while we’re here. I need to say a word or two myself."
Kwon Ye-jin and Yoon A-young were fuming at the fact that I was being stalked, their eyes blazing.
The call that had cut off rang again at the perfect (or imperfect) time. As soon as they saw the 'No Caller ID' screen, both of them stared at me.
Seeing the determination in their eyes, I shrugged and pressed the call button.
"Haah... haah..."
The sound of sticky breathing filled the room through the speakerphone. Anna looked on with startled eyes, and Lee Yu-na frowned.
"Hey, you piece of shit! Who the hell are you?!"
Kwon Ye-jin didn't hold back, grabbing the phone and screaming into it immediately.
Click—
The call disconnected, but Ye-jin kept shouting. She even suggested calling back, but Lee Yu-na told her to stay calm.
Maybe it’s because I’m a man, but they seem even more worked up than I am.
"There’s a feature to block restricted numbers. Why don't you use that?"
"Do I have to apply for a service with the carrier?"
"No, it’s right there in the smartphone settings."
Lee Yu-na provided a practical solution and took my phone to set up the feature.
"There really are a lot of crazy bitches out there."
"And you were just putting up with that?"
Kwon Ye-jin was angry, and Yoon A-young looked at me with frustration.
" I was planning to deal with it if it got worse."
"People like that get bolder if you don't respond strongly. Be careful, they might even show up at your house."
I appreciate the concern, but I am a hero, you know?
As Yoon A-young worried, Kwon Ye-jin slid closer and sat next to me.
"I guess I’ll have to protect Master. Come with me today. I’ll stay at your house too... because... hehe..."
What are you thinking about?
Lee Yu-na grabbed the shoulder of Kwon Ye-jin, whose expression had turned lecherous.
"I’ve caught Yeon-woo’s stalker. Let’s take her in. The culprit was right next to him."
"I’m not a stalker!"
"Wipe that drool first. This is why you have to suspect the people closest to you."
The atmosphere brightened again as the two bickered.
After training, I told my worried party members I was fine and headed home. Since Ye-jin had screamed so suddenly during the call, they probably wouldn't call for a while.
Oh, right. Even if they did, they’re blocked now.
For some reason, I had a feeling that blocking them would make them show up at my house, just as Yoon A-young had feared... but wait?
I stared at my front door handle.
Someone touched this.
I checked under the handle and saw that the dye I’d applied was smudged.
"Do you feel any emotional energy beyond the door?"
"No, nothing."
Ellie knew about most of my security measures because she’d either teased me for being paranoid or enjoyed it like it was a spy movie while we lived together. She checked the inside again with a serious look and shook her head.
I went back out to the convenience store, bought some Scotch tape, and returned. I pressed the tape over the smudged dye to secure fingerprints and then entered the house.
It was the same studio apartment as usual, but I could see faint traces of someone’s presence. The clothes I’d neatly arranged were slightly disheveled, and a few items I’d intentionally placed at specific angles had been moved.
It didn't look like they’d tried to hide their tracks; it was more like they hadn't really done anything.
First, I pulled out the equipment I’d hidden behind the wardrobe to check for bugs or cameras. Then, I took out my smartphone to check the footage from the CCTV I’d secretly installed in the hallway.
Fast-forwarding through the footage, a woman appeared, cautiously entering my house.
Wait?
"Hey, that’s her. The girl who was on the island with us."
Ellie recognized her too.
The woman in the video was Anna Gyeom, who had been on my team during Survival Hero.
"Was she the one making the stalker calls too?"
It was a possibility, but I didn't have proof yet. Anna Gyeom was connected to Han Byeong-sin and had consistently carried out his orders during the program. For someone who had worked so hard to sabotage me, even at the cost of being heavily criticized...
I thought for a moment, then contacted Han Ju-hee. I sent her the CCTV footage and told her to keep it just in case. I told her there was no need to report it yet, then hung up and pondered.
The stalker is Anna Gyeom?
No, it’s more likely that this is related to whatever Han Byeong-sin is plotting.
Then why did Anna Gyeom break in?
No matter how much I checked the house, I couldn't find a reason. Checking the time she left, she’d been inside for about thirty minutes, but she hadn't done anything other than leave a few fingerprints on my belongings. She’d touched very few things and hadn't installed any devices.
There were no lingering mana traces either, so she hadn't used magic or skills.
"It’s a mystery... Is it time for the great detective to step in?"
No, you just stay put.
I ignored Ellie, who was posing with her arms crossed as if she were deep in thought. I gave the ID and password for the hallway CCTV to Han Ju-hee and Lee Yu-na so they could access it.
Since thinking about it wasn't giving me any answers, I decided to wait and see.
However, the situation escalated faster—and differently—than I expected.
"Hero Jeong Yeon-woo."
The next day, as I was about to head back to the clan after a meal with my party members, a group of people approached me.
Grey jackets and conspicuous vests.
As the police called my name, Kwon Ye-jin and Anna stepped in front of me, glaring at them.
I held back the two of them, who were creating a hostile atmosphere, and turned my attention to the police. Seeing that they’d brought three Awakened officers with them, it was clear they were prepared to take me by force if I resisted.
"You know Hero Anna Gyeom, right?"
"Yes, I do."
"You’ve been named a suspect in an assault and kidnapping case. We need you to come in for questioning."
The police officer spoke without a hint of a smile. The Awakened officers behind him were glaring at me as if they were ready to pounce the moment I resisted.
Ha, I didn't see this coming.