The Crazy Villain Regains His Sanity - Chapter 19

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 19

Jung Ju-ho frowned the moment I mentioned the Black Market, apparently oblivious to the unease rippling through me.

“Touch the Black Market? Come on, be honest with me. Are you a spy from the rival department trying to push me out?”
“Not at all.”
“See? Let’s be straight with each other now. It’ll make things easier, won’t it? Huh? Please, just tell me that’s what this is. Please!”

Was it really so shocking to suggest taking down the Berserker and dismantling the Black Market in one stroke?

“That’s rejected. Absolutely not.”
“May I ask why not?”
“If I explained, we’d be talking for three days straight and still wouldn’t cover it all. Fine—I can sum up the Black Market like this: if the Black Market collapses, the Republic of Korea collapses with it.”
…….
“You don’t understand, do you? It’s simple. The Black Market is where every vested interest in Korea is tangled up. And it’s the only breathing room in all these suffocating regulations.”

Jung Ju-ho’s explanation went like this.
Currently, the Republic of Korea maintained strict regulations not only on Guilds but also on Corporations. This was to prevent the military power of Guilds and the financial resources of Corporations from surpassing the state—but it bred considerable resentment.
The Black Market’s existence was what kept that pressure valve open. Guilds, Corporations, politicians, Villains, government Hunters—all sorts mixed together like a foundry, creating a release valve for discontent. Because no responsibility or taxes existed here, it had grown to its current scale.
It neither expanded nor shrank because it never crossed the line the government permitted.

“If you touch this, everyone profiting from it will try to kill you.”

I survived even in my last life when they did.
Either way, I understood what Jung Ju-ho meant.

“So it’s an illegal but universally acknowledged neutral zone.”
“That’s about right.”
“And letting the Villains who use it operate freely is also a kind of fence.”
“That way it’s easier to track their movements and arrest them when the time is right.”

Jung Ju-ho didn’t deny it.
In the end, the Black Market’s interests were tangled far more deeply than I’d imagined, and many high-ranking officials were caught up in it.
It was also a containment farm for Villains.

“Everything in this world doesn’t come down to good and evil, right? Don’t Corporations and Guilds need someplace to breathe in all those tight regulations? Money laundering happens there, that sort of thing. So scrap this plan.”
“Understood.”
“If you were always this compliant, it’d be perfect. Fine—I’m officially clearing you of spy suspicions.”
“But am I allowed to go to the Black Market myself?”

Jung Ju-ho’s expression twisted instantly from laughter.

“…You could use it if you want. But why are you trying to go?”
“Reconnaissance. The Berserker might show up.”
“There are multiple Black Markets, and the Berserker just happens to appear where you go? You’ve got some other agenda, haven’t you?”
“May I ask what my Gift is?”
“It’s not Mind Reading. Anyway, if you’re set on going, I can’t stop you, but please—please—take it easy, yeah? Hah! Fat lot of good it does saying that. If you’re done, get out.”

Jung Ju-ho, waving his hand, suddenly remembered his own business and spoke up.

“Oh! And they say there’s a legendary hair-growth elixir around there. If you spot one, pick it up for me, would you? Don’t give me that look. I’m being proactive. Get it?”

I’d never seen such a potion in all my years before the Return.
His eyes were too earnest to refuse outright.

“I’ll search for it.”

* * *

When I stepped outside, I caught sight of Jung Da-hyeon’s face—her eyes dulled by exhaustion over the past few days.

“You look very tired.”
“Do I? I suppose I haven’t been sleeping well lately.”

I watched her faint smile and sank into thought. I knew what was wearing her down, and I couldn’t simply let it pass. I needed to offer her at least a hint.

“Why don’t we grab a coffee?”
“Sure.”

We went to a café and each ordered a drink.

“How did the proposal go?”
“It was rejected.”
“What was it about?”
“I proposed a Black Market sweep operation.”

I didn’t mention the Berserker—she’d have panicked if I’d brought that up.

“The Black Market, huh. I can understand that. I’m not fond of it myself, but there are so many entangled interests tied up in it.”
“The director already gave me an earful about it.”
“He only says those things because he cares about you. He’s only relaxed with people he’s close to.”
“Even so, he keeps making unreasonable demands.”
“Unreasonable demands?”

I started to speak, then stopped—it occurred to me that hair loss was tied directly to a man’s pride. Jung Da-hyeon seemed to understand my silence and didn’t press further.
I remembered my original purpose and steered the conversation.

“I understand the urgency, but pushing yourself too hard isn’t the answer.”
“Have you ever felt that kind of urgency?”
“Yes. More than urgent—I was desperate.”
“That surprises me.”

She seemed taken aback, but in my previous life around this time, I was a pathetic wretch. I resented the world for not recognizing me, vented my anger on my family, and chased power recklessly, with no regard for method or means.
All of that accumulated and festered into what I became—a Cursed Being.
I couldn’t stand by and watch someone else make the same mistakes I had.

“Balance is essential.”
“Balance, I see.”
“For Da-hyeon to grow stronger, the quality of your training matters more than the quantity. You must always maintain peak condition while training. And if you find yourself not in top form, proper rest will actually help you reach the next level faster.”
“Quality over quantity, then.”
“Yes.”
“Thank you for the advice. I really will treat you properly next time. Is there anything you like?”
“When you made miso hotpot before, there was one ingredient we didn’t use that I wished we had. With it, the dish would have been several times better.”

Jung Da-hyeon’s eyes sparkled more brightly than when we’d discussed training.

“Is there some kind of magic ingredient like that? What is it? Tell me!”
“Owl Boar Head.”
“Owl Boar Head… I’ll give it a try!”
“I look forward to it.”

Perhaps she’d be delighted if I brought back an Owl Boar Head on my next trip to the Black Market.

* * *

As I visited the Black Market for the first time in this life, old memories came flooding back.
Back when I was a Cursed Being who turned everyone into an enemy, my livelihood was precarious. The moment my tracks were discovered, pursuit would inevitably follow—so the Black Market became the only place where I could procure what I needed.
In my case, I would buy only what was necessary at the Black Market and disappear quietly.
But only after hearing Jung Ju-ho’s words did I learn whether pursuit had followed after my Black Market visit.
The Black Market typically opens once every twenty days to a month, operating from evening until dawn before vanishing without a trace come morning.
The Black Market formed on the outskirts of the Seoul Metropolitan Area.
It was positioned not far from a harbor—in the sphere of influence of major corporations and large Guilds—a place where interests aligned so that even Villains could gain access.

“So the zones were divided that way.”

Whenever the Black Market formed, it was divided into roughly three to four zones, each marked by territorial boundaries drawn according to the powers that controlled them.
I had worried that my refined appearance—a result of returning to the past—might get me denied entry, but I passed through without issue.

“It’s been a while.”

There was nothing particularly special about my reason for visiting the Black Market. Since I’d abandoned the sweep operation, I wanted to look around directly and find another way to weaken them instead.
Villains gain strength through a process: they absorb displaced citizens who’ve fled the city, swell their numbers, arm themselves with firearms, and then launch attacks on Hunters.
Firearms were still effective against low-level Awakeners, so Villains would clean out the Black Market’s entire firearms inventory.
They hunt Hunters, and among those Hunters is Yoon Hui. And when their forces grow large enough, they attack provincial cities—my parents were in the provinces.
For me, there was reason enough to weaken the Black Market.
Wiping it out entirely would be even better.

“It’s exactly the same as before.”

The Black Market consisted of precisely two categories.
Those who bought and those who sold.
Customers and merchants alike were taciturn. There was no reason to draw unnecessary attention, and one’s identity could be revealed by voice.
The only conversation that occurred was when money changed hands for goods.
As I quietly surveyed my surroundings, a thought crystallized: the Black Market was a place where interests locked perfectly into place. I could now understand why Jung Ju-ho had warned me against it.
Killing everyone here would make cleanup messy. They wouldn’t be easy to hunt down one by one.
If Jung Ju-ho couldn’t cover for me, my existence would be exposed—and while Villains might not care, the major corporations and large Guilds certainly wouldn’t stay quiet.
I respected his effort to maintain balance amid the mounting chaos. Jung Ju-ho warned me because I was useful—he didn’t want me to become a Villain. As a government-employed Hunter, I too try not to kill when arresting Villains.
Of course, only when it’s something I can accept.
The most certain path was to gain recognition as a Superhuman through level measurement and seize authority. I’d already drawn attention as a Cursed Being, so public scrutiny didn’t bother me much.
I could tolerate the annoyance. But I wasn’t certain what impact my actions might have on my family.

“Nothing.”

I looked around here and there to see if there might be a Berserker, but found none. He was supposed to show up here frequently to purchase supplies, but today was a bust.
Then I spotted something familiar.
It was a Monster Heart corresponding to tier-4 hazard level. The price was reasonable and easy to liquidate, so during the days I was being hunted, I’d dealt frequently with tier 3–4 hearts.

“What’s the price on this?”
“Twenty million won, no negotiation.”
……
“If you’re not buying, get lost.”

I was so shocked I didn’t even bother cursing—I just let it pass.
In my previous life, when I sold to merchants, I got three million won per heart. Had I been swindled? I’d visited the Black Market multiple times, but since I wasn’t shopping for personal use, I’d never paid attention to prices.
Could the other goods be like this too?
Right then, I walked the Black Market’s thoroughfares searching for items I’d sold in my previous life. They were being resold anywhere from three to over twenty times the original price.
Now I understood why Black Market merchants had risked their lives approaching me back then.

“…I was taken for a fool.”

If they’d been within reach, I would’ve crushed every last skull.
Having opened Pandora’s box, I felt a numb shock wash over me as I moved toward the Black Market’s outer edge.
On my first visit, I’d thought the Black Market was a place where everyone won. You could sell stolen goods you no longer needed, and though prices were somewhat high, you could buy what you needed.
And I was the only victim in that entire ecosystem.
Was human life worth nothing in the face of profit? I was beginning to understand just how bold people became when obsessed with money.
Then a thought brushed past me, sudden and sharp.

“…It seems like a good approach.”

The Black Market was a nexus where multiple factions’ interests intertwined. Jung Ju-ho was worried that if I collapsed this place, those factions would turn into enemies.
So what if I let it rot gradually instead?
Say a Villain visited the Black Market. Someone visiting the Black Market had exceptional skills by default and plenty of money—considerable purchasing power. Someone that dangerous, in other words.
If that Villain went missing after visiting the Black Market?
And if the number kept steadily climbing—not just one or two, but more and more?
The Villains would learn to be cautious, and the Black Market would lose customers who actually spent money.
There’s no need to be overt about it. I just need to keep doing it enough to instill fear in the Villains.
Removing a Villain counts as lawful law enforcement, after all. As long as I don’t get caught.
And if a Berserker gets caught in the net, all the better.
I stepped out of the Black Market and began hunting for a scapegoat.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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