I really have committed a lot of sins…
Nationwide attacks and massacres at loan shark companies.
Murders involving a villain with invisibility powers at a parts factory and another with summoning abilities.
The murder of the bomb terrorist at Hero University.
The port terrorism case involving the theft of augmented alloy, the murder of 7 out of 8 villains, and the kidnapping of 1.
Attempted bombing of the Hero Association.
Terrorist attack on the HSK telecom server room.
Aiding the escape of a terrorist with gem-ability at Hanul High School.
Massacre of heroes at White High School.
Raid on an illegal gambling den and mass killing of gang members.
“Do you admit to the above nine charges?”
“Yes… I admit them.”
Among the dozens of charges the police asked about, those nine were the ones I admitted to.
Of course—
“You’re saying that you’re truly not the one responsible for the murder of the former Vice President of the Hero Association’s family, correct?”
“That’s really something I don’t know anything about.”
For the crimes without solid evidence, the police gave false testimony on my behalf. Not to reduce my sentence, but to further screw over Choi Won-il.
“Thank you for cooperating sincerely with the investigation, Mr. Go Min-hyuk.”
“Yes… You’ve worked hard as well, officer.”
And thus ended the second day of my interrogation.
As I began to wonder how many years someone like me, who had committed so many crimes, would be sentenced to—
“Ahem… Ahem… And also…”
Even after the questioning was over, the officer who had not yet risen from his seat…
Suddenly offered me a polite greeting.
“……?”
“Since I’m a public official, I can’t speak too openly… but most of us in the police force feel a small sense of gratitude toward you, Villain Hunter.”
“…Huh?”
“You probably don’t realize just how significantly you’ve reduced South Korea’s crime rate. So much so that we divide our work into ‘before’ and ‘after’ your rise.”
What is this situation…?
Surely this officer knew that I was a villain who murdered people brutally and mercilessly…
And yet, to be receiving a thank-you from the police as a villain…
…But I am a villain, though?
“Do you know what the trending topic on our internal police intranet is these days?”
“…What is it?”
“It’s about how Villain Hunter perceives the police.”
“…Huh?”
“In my case, I also used to think that you didn’t trust the police.”
But why would I distrust them?
Even when my younger sister was killed by Choi Won-il’s drunk driving,
I still remember the officer who worked so hard to help me back then.
I actually have a good impression of the police.
“…May I ask why you thought that?”
“We assumed that you became a vigilante because you couldn’t rely on us. But after interrogating you these past two days, I’m now certain.”
“…Certain of what?”
“That you truly, deeply trust us. It’s just that…”
“Just that…?”
The officer’s eyes were now gleaming as if he were looking at a revered figure…
“Because of your limited time left to live, you had no choice but to choose more extreme methods to stabilize Korea as quickly as possible…”
“????”
What?
I’m terminally ill?
I’m dying soon?
Wait… I’m terminally ill?
I didn’t even know that myself…. how am I suddenly terminally ill?
Before I could even begin to wonder since when I had been terminally ill or what kind of incurable disease I supposedly had, the officer’s continued words made my head spin.
“You really don’t need to worry too much, Mr. Go Min-hyuk… no, Villain Hunter!”
“…What exactly… am I supposed to be worrying about…?”
“We’re planning to write a formal petition before the trial begins. We’ll state how cooperative you were during the investigation, how most of the crimes you committed were driven by a sense of justice to punish evil. Thanks to you, Villain Hunter, we officers are now better able to protect our citizens with peace of mind!”
Ah…
This was starting to get overwhelming.
Was this how people looked at cult leaders?
“We’re always grateful, we support you, and… we’ll remember you!”
“Uh… th-thank you… I guess…”
“Salute!”
“…Salute.”
“It’s an honor!”
At that moment, I couldn’t help but wonder what the people watching this scene from behind the one-way mirror must be thinking of this officer.
Isn’t this guy completely out of line…?
A police officer saluting a villain…
As I stood there, thinking that this officer would definitely be disciplined within the force, I was finally led out of the interrogation room by the late-arriving Association sword, who had come to escort me.
“????????”
I found myself facing a line of officers all holding a salute toward me.
I’m telling you, I’m a villain, people!
Ah…
I didn’t know anymore.
Really, I had no idea…
Police saluting a villain…
Was this… what they called corruption in the force?
No, this didn’t seem like that… uh…
Uhh…
“……”
I had no idea what kind of misunderstanding these officers had about me…
If my body had been in good condition, I would have, without a doubt, tried to break out of the police station right away just like any other villain would without bothering with any investigation.
Forcing myself to ignore the officers’ salutes, I followed the Association sword back to the holding cell… or I would have—what? Why did we stop?
“…Why did we stop?”
“The higher-ranking officer needs to acknowledge their salute before they can stop saluting.”
Why are you doing this too, seriously???
…
After sending off Pyro Bomber and Seo-yoon with some ridiculous nonsense about how leaving two minors unattended was considered child abuse, I started trying to move my uncooperative body around.
Standing up is out of the question…
It wouldn’t be a lie to say that finally facing the true condition of my body for the first time was a bit of a shock.
How am I even supposed to recover from this?
Fortunately, I had the whole holding cell to myself. At least I could take a bit of comfort in the fact that no one else had to witness the sorry state I was in.
“Hoo… let’s do this.”
Lying flat on the floor, I slowly began to push my body up, knees grounded like I was doing a push-up.
“Hrngh…!”
Even something as simple as lifting my body felt difficult and painful. But I knew all too well. I couldn’t just blindly trust and depend on that so-called Association President.
“My life… has never been that easy…!”
As I tried to stand on my own, enduring the burning pain that tore through me—
“It looks tough. Why don’t you stop?”
“!!”
Startled by the sudden voice from above, my strength gave out entirely.
Thud…
“…Who are you?”
“Take a guess. Who do you think I am?”
Having already pushed myself to the limit, I couldn’t even lift my head to see the woman with the familiar yet unplaceable voice coming from above. The conversation began.
“…Are you a villain sent by Choi Won-il to kill me?”
“Wrong. That’s not it.”
If not a villain here to kill me, then who?
How on earth did the owner of that voice… manage to get past even the security of the woman known as the Sword of the Association?
“…Hmm?”
Wait a minute. She got past the Sword of the Association, who sees through everything?
If that’s the case…
“…A false god from some cult…?”
“…Wasn’t it supposed to be the Hero Association President’s turn to show up?”
“So it was the Hero Association President after all.”
“Nope. You just got it wrong. Why are you acting like you got it right?”
“I’ve been waiting for you.”
“Why are you acting all confident?? I literally just said you were wrong???”
“If I get it wrong, does that mean you won’t heal me?”
“Well, that’s not it but… why is it that every time I talk to you, I—the supposedly abnormal one—end up feeling like the normal one here?”
“….? What do you mean by that?”
Every time she talks to me…?
This is the first time I’ve met you…so what are you even talking about?
“…Have we had a lot of conversations before?”
“Plenty. It wouldn’t be a lie to say more than anyone else in the world.”
“…Huh?”
I couldn’t make any sense of what she was saying.
But little by little, I managed to lift my head. Slowly, I turned toward the source of the voice and looked up.
And I saw her.
“…What?”
“It’s been a while, Min-hyuk.”
“You… how…?”
A face that was familiar yet unplaceable.
Someone I had spoken to more than anyone else.
And yet… someone who shouldn’t exist in this world.
“……”
“Say my name. It’s been a while.”
“This… this makes no sense…”
“You forgot my name, didn’t you?”
“That’s not what matters right now.”
“It does matter, you crazy bastard. You made me and then forgot me? What kind of parent forgets their own kid’s name??”
“I’m not even married yet. How could you be my daughter?”
“Well, I’m not technically your daughter, but you did create me, didn’t you?”
Everyone, at some point in childhood, had an imaginary friend.
“What kind of brat talks to their parent like that, huh? You rude little punk.”
“That’s why I told you I’m not your daughter, you crazy bastard! And I do have my own parents.”
Only now did I finally realize it for sure.
I was mentally ill.
“You seem perfectly fine right now, so stop talking nonsense.”
“Don’t go around reading people’s thoughts without permission.”
“Half of me is made from your thoughts, so I can hear what you’re thinking. Don’t blame me.”
“Half of you? You’re talking like I really am your dad. So where’s your mom hiding?”
“I told you I have my own parents, didn’t I?? That’s a messed-up joke, you know.”
“Oh… sorry. …Wait, are you one of those AI things or whatever?”
“Oh, for the love of—”
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