Villain Eaten By The Hero - Chapter 81
81
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“A villain has appeared at the Meteor Daily headquarters!”
“No casualties. We are requesting support, so please call available heroes for deployment.”
The Hero Disaster Headquarters, which oversees several branches, is chaotic every minute. Seo poured a cup of mixed coffee for himself, picking up the news about Meteor Daily.
“Because of the shutter malfunction, the villain has escaped from the scene.”
Seo recalled the incident two days ago when he visited Meteor Daily for a correction on the article. It was the day when he secretly tampered with the shutters on the floor where the meeting room and press room were located, in order to divert attention away from Belze.
Ironically, when there was an incident where the shutters were supposed to work, they didn’t, causing them to miss the villain. As Seo sat drinking his coffee in a rather good mood, someone came running towards him.
“Mr. Seo, are you available by any chance? We need a hero to go to the Meteor Daily headquarters, but everyone is having difficulty leaving their positions.”
“I’m on temporary probation.”
A hero facing accusations of collusion with villains cannot go out into the field until the disciplinary meeting’s results are out. They cannot risk putting their colleagues in danger.
Receiving such a cruel directive to go to the field while undergoing an unfortunate disciplinary process due to collusion accusations was burdensome. Ethical condemnation was necessary, but there was also a need for manpower. It was shameless, yet there were limits.
When Seo sent a gaze that seemed to ask if the employee intended to pass the task onto him, the employee awkwardly scratched his head.
“Oh… right. I’m sorry. I bothered you with a difficult request, especially when you must be feeling troubled. This is why handling public administration is challenging. Whether they discipline you or not, it needs to be resolved quickly, you know.”
The employee sighed heavily as he said that. It was a request for Seo to hear them out since it wasn’t good to say such things in a workplace where everyone was moving busily.
“Administrative processing can’t keep up with practical work. If you receive disciplinary action, Mr. Seo, imagine how big the work gap would be. Our team all thinks the same way.”
In essence, it was a request to please look the other way just this once.
It wasn’t an entirely baseless request. The employees of the Hero Disaster Headquarters generally sided with heroes on most ethical issues because they worked hard in the field alongside them. They were genuine people who supported Seo.
With that, the employee emphasized his position while subtly expressing the awkwardness of the situation. Seo carefully chose his words, trying not to make the employee feel too uncomfortable.
“To be honest, it’s annoying just thinking about Meteor Daily writing the article, but I can’t help but respond. You know how it is. It’s our job.”
As the employee was about to say, ‘So…’ and make his final plea, and Seo was reluctantly about to agree to help, an unwelcome interruption came.
“Mr. Ravi, we don’t need your assistance.”
An external member of the Hero Disaster Headquarters Disciplinary Committee gave Seo a cold look.
“No matter how good you are, we can’t entrust an important job to someone who is suspected of being in cahoots with a villain. Ethics are more important than skill.”
The disciplinary committee had more external members than internal ones. Kang, one of the committee members, was a progressive figure demanding high ethical standards and low violence from heroes.
He had written an article arguing that villains shouldn’t be violently subdued, and understandably, he didn’t get along with Seo.
“Good, then you can go out and take care of it.”
Seo grinned, raised the corner of his mouth, and crumpled the paper cup he had used into the trash bin with a “thud” sound. Kang, unimpressed, furrowed his brows.
“You have no manners.”
“Yes.”
“Is this the end of the problem just because you say yes?”
“No, it’s not over. It’ll continue to be a mess until someone goes out.”
In an instant, tension filled the entire situation room where there were no backup personnel.
There was nothing wrong with what Seo was saying, but it wasn’t a situation where one could simply acknowledge it. In terms of discipline, what Committee Member Kang said was correct.
When Seo, with a face that seemed to say, “Do you want to try me?” faced the fourteen-year-old Kang, the committee member sneered with a twisted smile.
“Mr. Ravi, you only speak recklessly when it comes to matters of public safety.”
“Committee Member Kang, you weigh citizen safety and ethics, don’t you?”
“Because there’s no law that says a hero who disregards ethics won’t disregard citizen safety.”
“I understand. It must be frustrating when strong people don’t come to your rescue.”
The two men bared their fangs and waged a nerve-wracking war of words since the director was away getting approval. As the employee scrambled to find someone to mediate, an ally from the headquarters staff stepped between the two.
“Don’t fight, I’ll go out.”
Guided by another employee, Kang Seok appeared and bowed deeply. He fiddled with the frames of his glasses and his gestures and facial expressions lacked the usual strong determination.
“Wasn’t today your day off?”
“Yes, but I’ve already finished everything I needed to do… I don’t have the right to rest, being someone who should be rolling in hellfire.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m saying I’m going to atone.”
“What?”
No one understood Seok’s words. However, his complexion was pale as if he would collapse any moment, and the situation was urgent.
Thinking more of the citizens than his pride, Kang scrambled around with his staff to find something for Seok to do.
With nothing to do, only Seo and Seok paused for a moment.
“Thanks, hyung.”
Seo knew that Seok had stepped up for him again. Although he helped to get under Belze’s skin and make him reveal the dangerous truth, Seo couldn’t hold Seok responsible for that.
After all, it was he and Belze, who had flirted, and they were even getting along now. Seo, who had finally found time and space to allocate to Seok, spoke affectionately.
“Are you free this evening? I thought we had something to talk about.”
“I’m not…… qualified.”
“What?”
“I’m not qualified to meet you, Mr. Seo.”
But Seok’s reaction was strange.
He avoided Seo’s gaze with a grim look on his face, like a man facing death. The fact that his clean-cut demeanor had been completely disrupted and he looked uneasy made it all the more odd because he hadn’t been like that just a few days ago.
Approaching with concern, as soon as Seo took a step forward, Seok quickly moved away as if burned by fire. Seo stood still and lowered his voice.
“… Is it because I slept with Belze? I get it. I won’t pretend to know. Still, thank you.”
“No! It’s not your fault, it’s me.”
Seok abruptly interrupted Seo’s words and even shouted. The nearby employees glanced at him briefly and then scurried away. Seok nervously clasped his trembling fingers.
“I, I as a human being… I acted so pathetic and vulgar in front of you, Mr. Seo… I thought you knew me well, but you didn’t know me.”
“Why is that?”
“I’m sorry, I can’t tell you right now. It’s something that shook my life’s beliefs. Oh! I’m not talking about you, and even if you didn’t know, I apologize for burdening you, but I’m a terrible human being, unlike you…….”
Seok was still worried about earning Seo’s hatred, but he was in a strange state of mind. It didn’t seem like the fact that Seo hadn’t spoken to him in a while, or the fact that Seo was about to face disciplinary action, had anything to do with it.
Since he didn’t have a clue, Seo decided to give him the benefit of the doubt and laughed easily.
“What does it matter if you say that? I don’t know what you’re talking about but don’t worry about it. It’s not like you slept with a villain like me.”
“…….”
“Being accused of selling secrets by sleeping with a villain on this level isn’t a heinous crime.”
“…….”