The Crazy Villain Regains His Sanity - Chapter 55

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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 55

Anna Christine pushed back against James Reed’s words.

“What’s the problem with him being Mal-sozja? Isn’t that actually a good thing?”

All eyes turned toward her.

“If you look at Mal-sozja’s track record, it’s simple. He eliminated a Villain organization operating in the shadows of Ansan, then vanished without a trace. Copycat crimes followed afterward, but they’re believed to be the work of someone else, not Mal-sozja. He’s only appeared once, and even then, he merely cleaned up a Villain organization. Are you bringing up the deputy mayor’s death? The real issue is that he was with the Villain organization in the first place. Calling Mal-sozja a Villain is premature.”
“Anna, we call anyone who acts on their own outside the state’s control a Villain.”
“I disagree. The global trend is increasingly suffocating Awakened Ones. That’s what enables the League to flourish. We need to see the bigger picture. If we forbid this and forbid that, only Villains will be left, won’t they? That’s exactly what the League wants—for us to tighten controls so it can run rampant.”
“The League is······.”
“Now, now, isn’t what we’re discussing something other than the League?”

At the US Vice President’s timely intervention, both Anna Christine and James Reed took a step back.

“So your position on recruiting Choi Jun-ho remains unchanged, Christina?”
“In fact, we should recruit him even more strongly. His two completely different aliases—Head Breaker and Mal-sozja—suggest a high likelihood that he’s a Dual Gift user.”
“···There’s no disagreement about his talent, at least.”

Even James Reed, who had taken an opposing stance on recruiting Choi Jun-ho, offered high praise for his ability.
That talent, at least, was genuine.
It was a shame that someone with the potential to become the strongest wasn’t American. The Vice President felt a pang of regret but consoled himself with the fact that such talent hadn’t appeared in enemy nations.
After gathering his thoughts, the Vice President spoke.

“Here’s my view. America is vast, and there are many places we must protect. We need to bring in talented Awakened Ones to safeguard even one more citizen. Even if his past is somewhat awkward, for the sake of America’s interests.”
“I agree with you.”
“In that sense, Choi Jun-ho is an Awakened One with talent. Even if he is Mal-sozja, if he can kill more Monsters, we should bring him in. If he’s not Mal-sozja, we should recruit him even more eagerly. The possibility that he might become a Villain is only that—a possibility—and it’s the Think Tank’s job to guide him away from that path. We can do it.”
“······.”
“James.”
“I was merely conveying my concerns. I have no objection to your decision, Mr. Vice President.”
“Good. I’ll leave contact with Choi Jun-ho to Christina.”
“I’ll do my best.”

Having settled the matter, the Vice President nodded.

“I’ll speak with the President tomorrow.”

* * *

The next day, the South Korean President and the US Vice President met in private at Cheongwadae.

“South Korea’s potential is always impressive to see. I’m truly impressed.”
“On this narrow peninsula, all we have to offer is our people. We’ve simply stayed true to that purpose.”
“The Exchange Tournament left quite an impression as well. Yang in particular seemed like a promising talent for the future. I imagine the students who came to the tournament gained much insight.”
“We feel the same way. I think it gave our students a chance to realize the depth of global competition and motivated them to work harder.”

The atmosphere of their conversation was warm and cordial.
Yet beneath it all, subtle calculations were being exchanged beneath the surface.

‘What’s his real purpose?’

The President raised his guard, suspecting the Vice President had a reason for requesting this sudden meeting.
After exchanging light pleasantries, the Vice President finally revealed his true intent.

“I heard that a Villain equivalent to Level 8 appeared recently.”
“Are you referring to Berserker? Fortunately, he wasn’t a villain who posed any serious threat.”
“No—I’m talking about Eraser. In Korean, you called him Mal-sozja, didn’t you?”

The President’s eyes narrowed. He set down the teacup he’d been holding.

“A villain who appeared only once, sir. May I ask why you’re bringing him up?”
“Because he couldn’t be found in a country with surveillance networks as tight as South Korea’s—that concerns us.”
“Since his first appearance, things have been quiet. There’s nothing to worry about.”
“By that, you mean you haven’t found any trace of him at all?”
“Are you suggesting we join forces to find Mal-sozja?”
“To speak plainly—yes, that’s exactly what I’m suggesting.”

Why search for someone who hadn’t even appeared?
The Vice President’s behavior only fanned the flames of suspicion.
There was definitely something more to this.

“I’m not sure what would justify such an effort.”
“Our analysis suggests Mal-sozja might be a Hunter deeply embedded within society.”
“Well, even so, he’s an Awakened One estimated at Level 8.”
“Haven’t you recently had a Level 8 Awakened One appear in your country?”
“…………”

While the President’s expression hardened, the Vice President smiled with ease.

“According to our analysis, it’s possible that Choi Jun-ho might actually be Mal-sozja.”
“This is a matter that could cause serious diplomatic friction.”
“We’re only at the stage of suspicion right now. I’ll provide you with our analytical findings. I hope there’s no misunderstanding—this is offered purely out of a desire to keep you informed, without any ulterior motive. And when you’ve made a decision, please let me know. As an ally, we’ll do everything in our power to cooperate.”

The President relaxed his expression and smiled.

“Thank you. I’ll take it under advisement. I won’t forget America’s goodwill.”
“We’re eternal allies, after all.”
“Indeed. Eternal allies.”

Both men concealed their blades and ended the conversation with matching smiles.

* * *

“…………”

Cheon Myeong-guk, summoned by the President’s call, listened in silence as the President recounted his conversation with the Vice President, then nodded quietly.

“What do you make of it?”
“It’s a plausible theory. There’s also a report I submitted to you, Mr. President.”
“Right, there was. That’s why I brought it up almost as a joke.”
“I was quite surprised to see you were serious about it.”
“Was I? In any case, the fact that America has caught the scent suggests their appetite isn’t small at all.”
“More than Mal-sozja’s danger, it’s his ability that warrants their interest. If these two are the same person, it would prove that through a Dual Gift, Choi Jun-ho can exercise Level 8 strength in two different capacities. Perhaps…”
“Go on.”
“They may have come knocking on our door because they see Choi Jun-ho as the person closest to Level 9.”

Level 9.
A realm that has never yet been reached.
Its true power remains a matter of speculation.
An unknown frontier—no one even knows how to classify it or measure it.
But one thing was certain.
Whichever nation possessed a Level 9 Awakened One would be the nation closest to global hegemony.
Were they really looking that far ahead?
The President felt a chill run through him.

“If it comes out that I’m Mal-sozja, what do we do? Arrest him?”
“Are you serious?”
“Just joking. Of course we bury it. There’s no way we’d let Choi Jun-ho go just because some dead vice mayor happened to be from our party. In terms of value, there’s no comparison.”
……
“Still, the Americans might move to manipulate our public opinion. So we need to quietly reshape the image of Mal-sozja—as a Dark Hero who dismantled Villain organizations and rescued human trafficking victims.”
“Understood.”

The President watched Cheon Myeong-guk’s departing back and smiled.

“I need to mark my territory thoroughly. Maybe I should bite, not just spit.”

It was a genuinely troubling consideration.

* * *

By the time the American delegation had only their final event remaining, I was greeting Lee Se-hee, who had come to visit the National Guard.

“How was the Exchange Tournament?”
“Higher level than I expected.”
“They’re the world’s strongest power, after all. They educate far more meticulously than we do and give them real combat experience much earlier. Otherwise, they couldn’t handle the sheer number of Monsters.”
“Because they have so much land to protect.”
“Exactly.”

Nations with vast territories inevitably had so many places to defend that their Awakened Ones were forced to pursue practical combat experience above all else.
In some cases with wide territory but sparse population, actual controlled territory had shrunk to less than twenty percent.

“You came to talk about Heartwalker?”
“Yes. Heartwalker’s mother’s condition isn’t good.”
“In what sense?”
“The treatment was started far too late. She was receiving treatment in Busan, but it was with narcotics, so she’s also suffering from their side effects……”

According to Lee Se-hee’s explanation, they could essentially do nothing but prolonged life support.
Had we waited too long?
I felt little about it either way. It had been the best I could do at the time. Even if it had been someone like O Jong-su, my feelings would have been the same.

“If that’s the best option, there’s nothing to be done.”
“And regarding Kim Jong-hyun……”
“Speak freely.”
“His work attitude isn’t good.”

According to Lee Se-hee, Heartwalker’s conduct was excessively freewheeling, he ignored his superiors’ orders entirely, and had become a headache for the research facility.

“He has the eye and the craftsmanship to compensate for it, but I never know when he’ll cause an accident.”
“That’s a problem.”
“Yes.”

Because I had brought Heartwalker in myself, she was speaking entirely out of deference to me.

“I brought him in precisely for that eye and that craftsmanship.”
“His talent is definitely proven.”
“But if he becomes more hindrance than help, there’s no need to keep him. If the losses outweigh the gains, contact me.”
“Yes, thank you.”

Only then did Lee Se-hee’s expression brighten.
She went on to explain the progress of the new drug, then shifted to the Processing Method.
The arrival of Heartwalker had clearly had an effect—the progress was noticeably accelerated, she said.
Unlike me, who pushes through with sheer brute Force, he works from sensitivity and intuition. Lee Se-hee’s job was to universalize that approach. Based on the prototypes Heartwalker had created, considerable progress had been made, and commercialization was on the horizon.

“You’ll need to prepare yourself soon.”
“Prepare myself for what?”
“A tremendous Villain will come looking for Jun-ho.”
“Then just kill it.”
“It’s impossible to kill.”

Lee Se-hee laughed with perfect confidence.

“The Villain’s name is taxes.”

Once the Processing Method became widespread, licenses would be sold to countries around the world, and the share that would fall to her would be enormous—that was Lee Se-hee’s explanation. The Holy Group would be even bigger.
The Holy Group would be an even bigger windfall.
Lee Se-hee urged me to establish a corporate entity using tax avoidance methods.
My thinking was different.

“If I pay it all, that’s the end of it.”
“Really? But we should still minimize taxes……”
“Why bother? I’m done.”

Since I already had more than enough money to spend for a lifetime, I didn’t want to walk the line between legality and illegality just to avoid taxes.
If I have time to worry about that, I’d rather catch one more Monster—that benefits me more.
If anything, paying every tax I owe means I can take down Villains with a clear conscience.

“If that’s how you think, there’s nothing I can do,” she said.
“Actually, there’s another part that worries me.”

I asked whether I should set aside a portion for Heartwalker, but Lee Se-hee shook her head firmly.

“I think that’s premature. How about we watch the revenue come in and make that decision slowly?”
“If you say so. But can this really make that much money?”
“Yes.”

She said it was a Processing Method that could increase the efficiency of Monster Hearts—something everyone would want.
Just then, a knock sounded from outside, and the door opened before I could answer.
The person coming in was Anna Christine. How did she get into the National Guard?
That question was answered by Jung Ju-ho, who was grinning broadly behind her. When our eyes met, he gave me a thumbs up and turned to leave.

“Hey, Jun-ho. So Princess Li was here.”
“How did you get in here?”
“I came to see Jun-ho and the director guided me, so here I am.”

Anna Christine, grinning, promptly sat down beside me.
Lee Se-hee’s eyebrows twitched.

“Why are you sitting there?”
“Because I have something to tell Jun-ho? And I thought people’s attention would scatter if I sat next to Princess Li.”
“…I don’t like it.”
“Funny—I feel exactly the same way.”

I’d felt it before, but the two of them didn’t seem to get along well.
I stepped in to mediate.

“We’re in the middle of something—would you mind coming back once we’re finished?”
“Oh! Right. The director guided me here, so I thought you were done. Sorry, Princess Li.”
……

Lee Se-hee clearly looked displeased.
After Anna Christine winked and left, Lee Se-hee let out a deep sigh.

“Phew! That overwhelming presence—I just can’t calm down around it.”
“She does have her own style.”
“Jun-ho, that woman is truly dangerous—be careful around her.”
“I’ll leave with the delegation anyway.”
“You’re right, perhaps I spoke out of turn. But one thing is certain.”

Lee Se-hee’s expression grew weighted with meaning.

“That woman will stop at nothing to get Jun-ho to America. And.”

The smile at the corner of her mouth deepened.

“She’ll fail miserably.”

Yet she couldn’t explain why the prospect delighted her so.

* * *

Anna Christine, waiting outside the meeting room, waved as Lee Se-hee emerged.

“All finished already? That was quick. Unless there wasn’t much to discuss.”
“We covered quite a bit of ground, actually. Things you wouldn’t know about.”
“Is that so?”
“The sort of sticky entanglements one can never quite escape.”

Nothing in the world ran deeper than ties of money.
It was bait she’d deliberately cast to invite misunderstanding, but Anna Christine took it in stride.

“It doesn’t matter. A man’s past is proof he’s interesting. I’d quite like to leave my own marks all over it.”
“I know what you’re after, Anna. But it won’t be easy.”
“That’s what you think. Even the coldest man makes different calculations when the moment is right.”
“We’ll see.”

Lee Se-hee stepped away, her face braced against the sharp wind, while Anna Christine wet her lips with her tongue, performed a lightning-quick makeup check before entering, and slipped through the door. Choi Jun-ho was visible inside.
His face was always striking. And the skill to match—destined, in time, to become the world’s strongest. She’d employed the Honey Trap against countless targets, but never had she wanted anyone quite like this.
So she meant to have him.

“You had something you wanted to say?”
“Yes, I heard Jun-ho signed a regular contract with the Korean government. I was curious if you had any plans after that.”
“It hasn’t even been six months since we signed.”
“Still, isn’t it good to think ahead about your future?”

Choi Jun-ho stared directly at her face. Heat rose unbidden to her cheeks. Could he see the flush? She should have applied makeup thicker.

“Are you asking me to come to America?”
“To be direct, yes. I’d love to see you come to America and do whatever you want.”

Anna Christine began enumerating the advantages of America.

“Most of all, there’s freedom. That’s something you need.”
“Freedom, you say…”
“Yes, freedom. Unlike Korea, where you’re bound by law on all sides. Not just freedom—respect, treatment, admiration. And romance too.”

Anna Christine’s eyes crinkled with a smile. Since that last humiliating failure, she’d waited for this moment, carefully analyzing what went wrong.
This man would never be swayed by what dangled before his eyes. She had to build affection gradually, establish trust so solid it would never crumble.
It was Lee Se-hee who had constructed her position as a business partner in such a short span of time. There was no reason she couldn’t do the same.

“America’s not a bad option.”
“I’m not asking for an immediate decision. Just consider America when your current contract ends. Take your time.”
“There’s no harm in that. I’ll think about it.”
“Though it might be worth your while if you decide sooner.”

Anna Christine grasped the front of her collar and opened it slightly. A more blatant temptation than before. Whether he took the bait or not hardly mattered—an afterimage was enough for total victory.
I felt his gaze on me. Success. No matter how composed a man pretends to be, he’s still a man.
It was hardly the moment for self-congratulation.

“But.”
“Yes?”
“When my contract ends, how old will you be?”
……

The age attack struck like a hook, and Anna Christine’s expression hardened.

* * *

The American delegation departed.
Though brief, their visit left much in its wake.
James Reed especially—he’d feigned naïveté with his halting Korean, but I could sense the cunning beneath. He was trying to scrutinize every corner of me, yet seemed unaware that curiosity could shorten one’s life. Anna Christine’s proposal would likely prove useful down the road.
As for the Vice President and the senators, watching them move with such systematic, rational precision gave me a sense of a well-oiled machine.
During the Exchange Tournament, Yang Ju-hyeok had distinguished himself, and through Go Myeong-hak—who kept thanking him profusely, insisting the man had completely reformed—I felt an odd awkwardness.

“China won’t be easy to handle,” Cheon Myeong-guk replied.

After America came China’s visit.
From the start, the Chinese had piled demand upon demand, one of which was that I come to greet them.
I accepted the proposal readily. I wanted to see what sort of people they were.

“Yes.”

Their numbers were far larger. The leader was Jang Jzi-dong, China’s Superhuman and guardian of the three northeastern provinces.
A man in his early forties who looked a decade older—angular sports-styled hair and a sharp, piercing gaze.
When he died in my hands in my previous life, he looked like this, only aged another twenty years. He was stubborn then; he was no different now.
Descending from the plane ahead of the delegation, he approached me directly and spoke.

Though I didn’t understand his words, the shift in everyone’s expressions around us was meaning enough.
I let out a small laugh and replied.

Moving with intent, it reached me in an instant, slashing like a claw.
I tilted my head slightly to evade; his hand curved to target my throat.
I raised my left hand to twist his wrist, but he brushed it away at once, ignoring the recoil as he pressed to seize my wrist.
A ferocious clash of Force erupted as the exchange began. His hand came like a snake, relentless and probing; I followed with equal persistence. After five passes, his wrist was caught in my grip.

Just as the Mine was about to pierce beneath his skin, his body blurred and vanished, reappearing at the very rear of the delegation.
A Gift transfer. The one I possess came from killing him in my last life.
I made no move to pursue, simply watching.

“Tell him I enjoyed seeing his Gift.”

The man’s expression hardened at my words.
Since we’re already at it, I don’t mind settling things right here.
Are you scared? If not, come at me.
But he didn’t react any further.

“…I’ll proceed with the schedule.”

Too bad.

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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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