Chapter 2597 – 2597. Eternal Eden

The press conference hall was a scene of carnage, riddled with gunfire.

I, having been shot in the shoulder, staggered to my feet. Pretending not to notice the cameras, I acted as if I was in great pain, and approached the reporters who were still alive.

The situation shouldn’t end with just a terrorist attack.

‘I need to make sure I get everything I can out of this.’

I used my healing abilities to treat the reporters who were in critical condition.

I’ll once again etch my abilities into the world’s memory. I’ll also let the public know that I’m a true hero, that I’m clearly on the side of good.

After healing the reporters who hadn’t died, I collapsed to the floor, pretending to be unconscious.

‘I wonder how the Awakened Union bastards will react. Heh heh.’

* * *

The Awakened Union’s office building in Pohang. The Union Leader’s office, located on the highest floor, was filled with silence.

There were two people in the office. The man standing was the Union Leader, Gu Young-beon, and the man sitting, in his late twenties, was Japanese, not Korean. His name was Origumo. He was a Player.

Origumo had been dispatched from Japan to take control of Korea, starting with the Awakened Union. Originally, the project was supposed to progress slowly and steadily, but when Jin Su-hak staged a coup and seized control of the military government, the project was hastily put into action. They decided that now, with Korea in chaos, was the perfect time.

But things had gone wrong.

The Awakened Union had become a national traitor organization in an instant, thanks to Sung Yu-jin’s press conference.

“…Gu Young-beon. What is the meaning of this? Did you really send that madman to carry out a terrorist attack?”

The Awakened Union did, in fact, have a mind control ability user.

But Gu Young-beon shook his head. His expression was not good.

“There are limits to mind control abilities. You can’t force such extreme actions. More than anything… do you think I’m crazy enough to order something like that? I haven’t forgotten that Sung Yu-jin is a target we need to capture alive. Even if I wanted to kill him, I wouldn’t use such a method. I’m not an idiot.”

Origumo didn’t scold Gu Young-beon. He knew. He knew that Gu Young-beon wasn’t the kind of person to do something so absurd.

In the first place, the method of the attack was a bit strange. Was there really a need to act so violently? It was almost as if they were desperately trying to make it known that it was the Awakened Union’s doing.

“It’s highly likely that it was a self-inflicted act.”

“I think so too. But… there have already been casualties. And it was broadcast live.”

The incident had blown up. It was too sensational. Moreover, the victim was Sung Yu-jin, who was known as a hero among heroes in South Korea. He had struggled to save the reporters, despite being shot in the shoulder. That was broadcast live. The Korean public, who had little experience with terrorism, were already seething.

‘The Korean government will be adding fuel to the fire, not trying to stop it.’

The security guards at the press conference hall had arrived late, after everything was over, and turned off the cameras. This alone made it almost certain that it was a self-inflicted act.

‘The Awakened Union has stepped in a pile of shit right from the start.’

And it wasn’t just any shit. It was shit filled with poison.

“Gu Young-beon. Do you have any countermeasures?”

“First, we will also hold a press conference to address this. We will claim that this situation is a self-inflicted act by the government.”

“…Well, do what you can.”

Origumo answered indifferently. He had already given up on the Awakened Union and the public opinion battle.

* * *

The Awakened Union had issued a statement regarding the recent terrorist attack on Sung Yu-jin. Union Leader Gu Young-beon himself had stepped forward. The situation was too dire to send another spokesperson.

“We, the Awakened Union, are not a terrorist group! We have no connection whatsoever to that terrorist! This terrorist attack is a self-inflicted act by the government! Observe the terrorist’s words and actions carefully! What kind of terrorist acts like that! It’s clearly a calculated move to frame the Awakened Union as the culprit!!”

“That terrorist committed suicide right in front of everyone! Four reporters were killed instantly, and Congressman Sung Yu-jin is hospitalized! And you’re saying this is a self-inflicted act by the government? Make some sense!!”

The reporters’ reactions were sharp. This was because reporters had been killed and injured in the attack. If Sung Yu-jin hadn’t healed them with his abilities, five more would have died. The reporters were furious. Of course, the fact that the tide was turning against them was also a reason. The Awakened Union was already a public enemy.

“More than half of the Awakened Union’s sponsors are Japanese companies! Is the Awakened Union really an organization that was launched under the orders of Japan?!”

“What is the real reason for fortifying Pohang? Experts say it’s a fortress to fight against the military, not monsters! Are you really planning to revolt against the Korean government?!”

“Are you willing to attend a government-led hearing?!”

The Korean reporters’ aggressive questions poured down on Gu Young-beon. Gu Young-beon was sweating profusely. If he tried to answer each question, there would be no end to it.

“I’ll say it again. This terrorist attack has nothing to do with our Awakened Union. It’s all a government conspiracy. Furthermore, we refuse to attend a government-led hearing. To me, it looks like a trap to capture me. If you hold the hearing in Pohang, then I will attend. Lastly, I would like to meet with Sung Yu-jin personally and have an honest conversation.”

“Ah. So you have nothing to do with the terrorist attack, but you refuse to be summoned to a hearing? But you want to meet with Sung Yu-jin personally? Why? Because you couldn’t kill him by sending your underlings, so you’re going to kill him yourself?”

Gu Young-beon glared at the reporter with a stiff expression.

“……Watch your mouth.”

“You’re the one who should watch your mouth, you terrorist bastard! My friend Young-cheol died at that press conference! Bring my friend back to life, you son of a bitch!!!!”

As soon as the reporter cursed, a security guard rushed over, grabbed the reporter, and dragged him out.

“Did you see that? There should always be security guards at a press conference. But there were no security guards at that press conference. Do you think that’s just a coincidence? That terrorist attack was a self-inflicted act by the government. The hearing should be held by the government, not me.”

“Don’t talk nonsense! You filthy terrorist bastard!!”

One of the reporters threw his camera down. But the camera stopped in mid-air before it could hit Gu Young-beon. Telekinesis. It was Gu Young-beon’s awakened ability. Gu Young-beon turned his body away from the reporter who was being dragged out and left the press conference hall.

When he returned to the Awakened Union building, the awakened people gathered around him. They were famous awakened people who had been recruited with promises of vast wealth and power. They all glared at Gu Young-beon with scowling faces.

“Union Leader. What is this? Is this the kind of organization the Awakened Union is?!”

“Do you know that our social media is in an uproar right now? We’ve fallen from heroes to criminal terrorists! How are you going to take responsibility for this?!”

“You son of a bitch! You’ve ruined our lives!!”

Loud voices were raised.

Gu Young-beon felt like screaming as well. He didn’t know that things would progress so rapidly. The original plan was to negotiate with the Jin Su-hak government, extract time, supplies, and equipment, and solidify the existence of the Awakened Union. But with one terrorist attack, the plan had been ruined.

“You’ve already signed the contracts. Stop whining and stay in your positions.”

Gu Young-beon’s cold voice silenced the awakened people. They weren’t overwhelmed. The awakened people were quietly furious. Murderous intent flashed in their eyes.

Then, a man stepped forward. He was a man with a neat appearance, wearing a suit.

Bulgom Han Doo-ho. He was an awakened person who had been active in Gyeonggi Province. He was the one who had been struggling to create an awakened alliance before the Awakened Union had appeared. He was the person who had proposed the creation of an alliance to Sung Yu-jin as well. Half of the awakened people in the Awakened Union were followers of Han Doo-ho.

“Union Leader Gu Young-beon. I believed your words that you were working for the sake of the awakened people. But now I know that those words were lies.”

“Han Doo-ho. Ordinary people don’t understand us. The Korean government ultimately represents ordinary people. Are you going to let yourself be played by ordinary people’s tricks?”

“I don’t know. But at least I have no intention of being played by your tricks. I and the awakened people will withdraw from the Union and leave. Try to stop us if you can.”

“……”

Gu Young-beon couldn’t stop Han Doo-ho. That was because more than half of the awakened people were following Han Doo-ho.

‘Damn it. I should have brainwashed the awakened people…!’

Brainwashing an awakened person required several times more effort and time than brainwashing an ordinary person. Awakened people had a certain level of resistance to abilities.

Half of the awakened people had disappeared. The ones who remained were those who were deeply entangled with the Awakened Union. They would leave at the first opportunity.

Gu Young-beon shut his mouth tightly and went into his office.

Origumo stared at Han Doo-ho with a fierce gaze.

“Gu Young-beon. Go meet with Sung Yu-jin.”

“…Did Sung Yu-jin say that he would meet with me?”

“Yes. The Korean government has crossed the line this time. They brought up Japan at the press conference. The home country has severely criticized the Korean government and arranged a meeting with Sung Yu-jin. Well, it’s only natural. What can the Korean government do when the home country protests?”

“Then what I have to do is…”

“I’ll give you two mind control ability users. Brainwash Sung Yu-jin and bring him here. And then leave Korea.”

“Are we disbanding the Awakened Union?”

“Is there any other option besides disbanding?”

“……”

Origumo’s eyes shone menacingly.

“Oh dear. Your loyalty is wavering. Don’t forget. It’s all thanks to my power that you became an awakened person.”

“Yes. I won’t forget. I will definitely brainwash Sung Yu-jin and bring him to Pohang.”

“This project has failed… but if we can bring Sung Yu-jin back to the home country, we can make up for it.”