The Crazy Villain Regains His Sanity - Chapter 66

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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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Chapter 66

After I issued my warning, people came pouring out of the office.
But a few remained stubbornly unmoved.
If they won’t listen to words, I’ll have to show them action.

“Let me show you something.”

Sensing several shadows moving beyond my perception, I hurled Lee Jong-kyeong to the floor and, hand-edge extended, unleashed a Blade Storm.

Crash! Boom!

A deafening roar tore through the air as the office wall crumbled. I cast Blade Storm twice more, systematizing all three walls where people stood. Those in the corridor shrieked and collapsed to the floor.
After a moment, the scene inside the office became clear.
Just as I expected, all three of them were holding smartphones.
So this is what they call catching someone red-handed.
I approached the prosecutor farthest away.

“Why didn’t you come out?”
“You, you! How dare you stand before a prosecutor like this—”
“What are you talking about? I rank higher than a prosecutor.”

Crack!

He wasn’t worth listening to any further, so I crushed his head.
I watched the prosecutor collapse, spilling blood and brains, then turned to the other one. He spouted more nonsense, so I caved in his skull without hesitation.

“You there.”

As I moved toward the last remaining prosecutor, I swung my hand.

Shriek!

The people trying to flee gasped in horror and threw themselves flat as a Force Blade carved across the floor right in front of them.

“I’ll kill anyone who tries to run.”

The last prosecutor in the office was different from the two who’d died moments before—pale-faced, young, and looking only a year or two older than me.
Before I even approached, he waved his hands frantically, desperately making excuses.

“I—I was just getting a call from my girlfriend. We haven’t been getting along lately, so I was comforting her. I swear it.”
“Give it here.”

Looking at the smartphone he handed over, I saw a name saved as Yun-jeong ♡.
Despite the name Yun-jeong, could I be hearing the voice of the Busan mayor on the other end? I kept my suspicions and brought the phone to my ear.
But the voice coming through belonged to a young woman.

—Hello? Joo-hyeok?
“Let’s break up.”
—What? What are you saying? Joo-hyeok? What are you talking about right now? You were comforting me just a moment ago, and suddenly—Hello? Joo-hyeok? Are you there? Hey! Why aren’t you answering! Fine! Let’s break up!

Surely they wouldn’t have gone so far as to modulate a woman’s voice.
After confiscating the smartphone, I sent the wailing prosecutor out to the corridor and occupied the entrance.
Lee Jong-kyeong, who had become half-crippled in my grip, lay motionless. I walked over and prodded him with my foot—he was dead.

“What, already dead?”

For someone pulling the strings behind the scenes, the bastard had all the right airs—but his vitality was pathetic. He’d put on a show like he was something, but he was useless. I kicked him into the corner.
That’s when I felt a group approaching from outside.
When I opened the door, a powerfully built middle-aged man with a stern expression was approaching, leading a contingent of Awakened Ones.

“And who are you?”
“The Prosecutor General, it seems. What kind of outrage is this, Choi Jun-ho?”

My prime suspect had walked right into my hands.

“Perfect timing. Since you’re also a suspect, I’d prefer you didn’t move from that spot.”
“What?”

A crack appeared in the Prosecutor General’s expression. Wasn’t he listening?

“You’re under suspicion, so don’t move. If you do, I’ll assume you have other intentions and take action.”
“······.”

The second time, he seemed to understand. He said nothing more.
I watched as the Prosecutor General’s gaze drifted toward Lee Jong-kyeong, who lay dead on the ground. I kicked the body directly in front of him. If he wanted to avoid the same fate, he’d stay still.
While I waited for Cheon Myeong-guk to arrive, eyes poured in from all directions. I issued appropriate warnings whenever someone showed signs of other thoughts.
Each time, they’d bow their heads to the ground as if slamming them down, and even though I’d said I had no intention of killing the innocent, they seemed to harbor more fear than necessary.
After about thirty minutes, Cheon Myeong-guk appeared, leading Awakener Security Bureau Hunters.

“Choi Jun-ho, what on earth is happening here?”
“I’ve caught the ones who were colluding with the Busan faction.”
“Colluding?”
“They were openly asking to downplay the incident. So I put the Prosecutor General on the suspect list and have been holding him.”
“······.”

Both Cheon Myeong-guk and the Prosecutor General, now under suspicion, hardened their expressions. From the look of them, it seemed they had nothing to do with it, but these days the perpetrators are so good at controlling their faces.

“It’s not me, Director.”
“I believe you. But I’d like for you to go to Cheongwadae, General.”
“······.”
“If you’re innocent, the charges will be cleared. Do you understand?”
“I suppose I have no choice. Very well. I ask only that innocent people not suffer any harm. Can I trust you?”

He said those last words while looking directly at me. Anyone watching would think I was trying to kill everyone.

“Don’t worry. Only three prosecutors died.”
“···Ha!”
“Escort the General.”

After Cheon Myeong-guk sent the Prosecutor General to Cheongwadae, he approached me.

“It’s been completely devastated.”
“I warned them, but there were those who attempted contact with the outside.”
“Well done. From now on, I’ll assist as well.”
“The documents have been completely falsified, so let’s start by examining those.”
“Understood.”

While the Awakener Security Bureau Hunters were collecting the Central Investigation Bureau personnel, I moved alongside Cheon Myeong-guk, gathering and intensively examining documents related to Busan.
I activated my Intuition. As I read and comprehended the document’s content, puzzle pieces found their places, and I inferred the complete picture. If my Intuition showed no reaction, it meant the information was sound; if the picture didn’t align or warped, the document had a problem.

“The speed is remarkable.”

Cheon Myeong-guk let out an exclamation of wonder, watching me classify documents in an instant. This is the power of Intuition. It seemed I was using it for purposes other than its original intent, but it was still a practical application.
I classified the documents the Awakener Security Bureau Hunters brought and handed them over.

“Thank you for your cooperation. It looks like things will move quickly now.”
“It’s nothing. Though I have to say, the prosecutors seem hard to trust.”
“Yes. We’ll need to explore other options.”

I searched the Prosecutor General’s office alongside Cheon Myeong-guk, whose face had grown shadowed, but found nothing of consequence.
Back at Cheongwadae, the President summoned me and Cheon Myeong-guk at once. The Prosecutor General sat across from us, his jaw clenched tight.

“Come in, come in. I hear you’ve pulled off something quite significant.”
“It was a minor incident, sir.”
“Fortunate you were there. Now, what did your search turn up?”

Cheon Myeong-guk, who had been listening, spoke up.

“All signs point to independent action by the Central Investigation Bureau.”
“Phew.”

The Prosecutor General exhaled with relief. The President nodded, watching him.

“Of course. I’ve trusted Director Kim from the start.”
“Yes, Mr. President. Thank you for your confidence.”
“The Bureau will have much to clean up now. You’d best get to it.”
“I’ll ensure everything proceeds smoothly.”
“Good.”

The Prosecutor General left, his expression visibly lighter. The moment he stepped out, the President’s face hardened.

“Now the real war begins.”
“Mr. President, we should separate the Opposition Party from Busan and move against them independently.”
“Hold a Leaders’ Summit.”
“What about Busan?”
“We’ve already moved on our end, so they’ll likely respond first. We gather intelligence and wait. Whether this escalates is our choice to make.”

The President turned his gaze toward me.

“As you can see, Busan shows no intention of sitting idle. They’ll have made contact with the Opposition, and certainly with major guilds and conglomerates.”
“Should we simply eliminate all of them?”

I should warn Lee Se-hee not to get entangled with Busan carelessly. There’s a chance we could wipe them all out.
The President shook his head.

“No. That’s not what I want. May I ask something else of you?”
“Of course.”
“Busan is in chaos, yes, but I believe the ones truly guilty are Yoo Sung-soo, his followers, and the villains among them.”
“You want to minimize casualties.”
“Can you do it?”
“That’s… uncertain.”

The President’s request amounts to killing only the guilty. It’s far more difficult than simply slaughtering everyone who comes at me.
I considered refusing, but looking at his earnest expression, I found myself without objection.
Still, I should show some effort in considering a path forward.

“I’ll draw up a plan to achieve our objectives with minimal damage.”
“I’m grateful. Then the real challenge comes next.”

Separating the Opposition Party from Busan, and subduing both with minimal casualties—
it’s only possible if every step achieves the best possible outcome.
Cheon Myeong-guk stepped forward.

“Once we have clarity on the Mayor’s intentions, I’ll go to Busan and attempt to persuade him.”
“You mean to venture into such danger? I won’t allow it.”
“But if not for me, they won’t even pretend to listen. I’ll do my best to persuade them. I’m a Level 7 Awakened One myself. Please don’t worry too much.”
“Still, I can’t ask you to do this. Why expose yourself to such danger?”

In the face of the President’s firm objection, Cheon Myeong-guk smiled.

“I’m simply doing what I can. Please use me as you see fit, sir.”
“Heh. Then I’ll leave it to you.”

Faced with Cheon Myeong-guk’s resolve, the President eventually nodded in acceptance.

* * *

A top-level summit with the Three Major Guild Masters. Dinners with corporate executives. Meetings with ruling party lawmakers.
All within a mere two days—the President’s aggressive flurry of activity.
I advised Lee Se-hee to avoid contact with the Busan Mayor’s camp.

-The Busan Mayor was already pushing for a meeting with Uncle, but once we sensed something was off, we turned him down. So that’s what was going on. I’ll be careful. Thank you.

With that, the Shinseong Group backed down a step.
When I contacted Lee Chan-taek, he agreed to my request.
Two powerful people cooperating before things escalated—that changed everything.
Having friends really is better than I thought.
Shortly after, word came through an aide of the Busan Mayor who’d come from Busan.
In the presence of Cheon Myeong-guk and myself, the President let out a hollow laugh.

“Yoo Sung-soo admits he went too far and says he’ll exercise restraint.”
“…….”
“That’s all?”

I waited, but when nothing more came, I asked. The President nodded, his expression grave.

“He threatened to split the nation in two, then suddenly wanted to keep things friendly. Hah.”
“Though he did propose certain conditions.”

Yoo Sung-soo’s compromise had three main points. First, he’d halt funding directed toward the League. Second, a large-scale crackdown on Villain organizations. Third, internal audits to arrest corrupt politicians.
None of it would amount to anything real.

“He’s shedding a few scales and pretending to be born anew. That bastard Yoo is treating me like water!”
“Calm yourself, sir.”

As Cheon Myeong-guk worked to soothe the President, he turned to me and spoke.

“That’s why I intend to go to Busan.”
“Do you have a method?”

Cheon Myeong-guk shook his head.

“The Mayor himself likely knew his proposed conditions wouldn’t be accepted. It was probably a stalling tactic. I want to go and probe—find out what he truly wants, what he might concede. Time isn’t on our side.”
“By now, they’re gathering every scrap of power they can.”
“Precisely.”

After soothing the angry President and moving to the Awakener Security Bureau, Cheon Myeong-guk exhaled deeply.

“I’d hope the negotiation succeeds, but with both sides locked in this confrontation, there’s almost no chance it ends well.”

If both sides made concessions, happiness was possible. But the world doesn’t work in ideals.

“The one bright spot is that the Opposition Party leader is from a different faction than the Mayor and felt his actions crossed a line—so he’s backing off. But beneath the surface, the Mayor’s faction will push for support.”

That was why the President and Cheon Myeong-guk wanted swift, decisive action.
He didn’t want the standoff to drag on and take the appearance of civil war.

“The key is Choi Jun-ho, the Awakener.”

It seemed I had earned considerable trust.
Cheon Myeong-guk said the Three Major Guilds and large corporations would take a wait-and-see stance, watching from the middle before joining whichever side looked advantageous.
Since they believed in me, I ought to repay that faith.

“Please take this.”

I handed Cheon Myeong-guk a ring—a plain gold band with nothing particularly special about its design.
Cheon Myeong-guk’s expression turned puzzled as he saw Force flowing faintly across its surface.

“Is it an artifact?”
“It’s a ring that brings good fortune. Just keep it on you when you meet Yoo Sung-soo.”
……
“Good things will happen. Truly.”

I managed a smile, but Cheon Myeong-guk’s expression remained clouded.

* * *

The moment Yoo Sung-soo realized the government was making unusual moves, he began openly antagonizing them, blockading supplies heading to Seoul from Busan.
As the city’s three-term mayor, he had spent the last decade consolidating Busan’s power infrastructure under private control.
It was possible precisely because Busan had no major guilds or large corporations. As a result, he had grown an energy base so formidable the government couldn’t move against it recklessly.
Qualitatively speaking, it was mediocre—but he had scaled it to a level that would paralyze the government if they tried anything.
If the government moved, the frame of “civil war” would be applied to them. That burden would be enormous, making reckless action impossible. He was certain of it.
Time was his ally. The government’s opponent was a leader nearing the end of his term, while he was a politician with further heights to climb. His party would support him too.
Communicating his position to the government was partly a calculated move to buy time.
What grated on him was that they had rejected his proposal outright in a single stroke.

“If they mean to reject the cup, then I’ll have to oblige them appropriately. Where is Baek Gun-seo?”

His secretary answered Yoo Sung-soo’s question.

“He’s returned to Seoul, sir.”
“So he won’t interfere? Couldn’t keep him under control, but that’s not a bad outcome either.”

If the Three Major Guilds, possessing a Level 8 Awakener, didn’t move, there was only one thing to be wary of.

“I just need to watch out for that bastard Choi Jun-ho.”

That cunning wretch who’d treated him like a criminal at their first meeting. He’d vowed to show him a scorching lesson whenever the chance came.
Yoo Sung-soo was confident.

“It’s a shame the League won’t send Awakeners.”

After all the money he’d been sending them.
Ingratitude seemed to be their specialty.
But Yoo Sung-soo didn’t despair. Even without Awakeners, there were countless ways to hold him at bay.
The shield of the populace itself.
No matter how crude Choi Jun-ho’s methods, he wouldn’t slaughter innocent citizens.
The people of Busan were both his most steadfast supporters and his hostages.

“I’d almost welcome a few deaths.”

If innocent civilians were to die by Choi Jun-ho’s hand—
Public opinion would swing toward him.

“Let him try then. Let’s see if he can break through the shield of three million.”

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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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