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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: The Behemoth Project
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I sighed, looking at my phone.
How could it be… that not a single person believes my breaking the bridge to prevent the accident was just a coincidence?
Everyone is convinced I knew everything and broke the bridge on purpose. This is truly troublesome.
Seriously, they were all against me until recently, so why are they suddenly over-the-top praising me now?
…Actually, their guess is right, I *did* know everything when I broke it. But how they're so *certain* is a mystery.
No matter how I think about it, it must be because of the Apple Mango incident. If only I had properly hidden my identity back then.
I don't think a post like this would have appeared on my fan cafe then…
*
[As of today, I withdraw my support for Mango Stick.]
As of today, I withdraw my support for Mango Stick.
From today, I will no longer be merely a supporter.
Mango Stick and I shall become one.
An attack on Mango Stick shall be considered an attack on me.
If there are seven billion Mango Faction members in the world, I am one of them.
If there are one hundred million Mango Faction members, I am also one of them.
If there are ten million Mango Faction members, I will still be one of them.
If there are one hundred Mango Faction members, I will still be one of them.
If there is only one Mango Faction member, that person is probably me.
If there are no Mango Faction members left in the world, then I, too, will cease to exist.
Mango Stick, my love.
Mango Stick, my light.
Mango Stick, my darkness.
Mango Stick, my life.
Mango Stick, my joy.
Mango Stick, my sorrow.
Mango Stick, my pain.
Mango Stick, my solace.
Mango Stick, my soul.
Mango Stick, me.
[Comments]=
[This is making my head spin.]
[Read this post, went to my local fruit store, and bought all the mangoes.]
[Let's make this a top post!]
[Mango for Parliament!]
[I support this!]
[Mango is protecting Korea!]
[Just by reading this, I can't tell if this is Ego Stick's fan cafe or a gathering of people doing mango mukbangs lol]
[This is a mango viral ad, isn't it? Del Monte, you scoundrels!!]
[Mang-hahahahaha]
*
The fan cafe post Seoeun showed me was truly dizzying.
Even if it was posted on a fan cafe filled only with people who like me… wasn't it a bit too much?
It felt like I'd become a god in some cult.
Right, well. My supporters went through a tough time, so I guess I can understand that.
The real culprit, though, was Seoeun.
"Mango Stick, my light. Mango Stick, my soul…"
"Argh! Stop it!"
"Why? It's fun. Mango Stick, 'me'!"
"Please… don't actually say it out loud…"
It was a leisurely afternoon.
I was idly lounging in the living room when I suddenly came under a mental attack.
Seriously, why is she even looking at my fan cafe?
"Subin-ssi, save me! This little bean is constantly bothering me."
"What? Little bean?"
"What do you mean, you *are* a little bean! Argh!"
"Don't use your psychokinesis. Just try it."
"Not being able to call a little bean a little bean… Fine, fine!"
"Aren't you coming here?"
Dodging the cushion Seoeun swung, I ran into the kitchen where Subin-ssi was smiling as she peeled a melon.
The kid's become violent. I guess I raised her wrong…
Phew, I'm the adult, I should be patient.
"Haha, stop playing and come eat some fruit. Seoeun, do you want some fruit?"
"Yes, Unnie."
She was all fiery eyes with me, but sweet and gentle with Subin-ssi. Why me…!!
"It's about time the kids came home…"
Just as Subin-ssi murmured this, the children came up the stairs, right on cue.
"We're home~."
The siblings, still in their school uniforms, had returned from school.
Seeing them, Seoeun waved her hand.
"Unnie, Chaeun. You're here?"
"Kids, wash your hands and come eat some fruit."
"Okay~."
The children trotted off to wash their hands.
I quietly watched the scene unfold, then cautiously asked Seoeun, who was munching on melon beside me.
"Seoeun, are you really not going to school?"
"Huh?"
Seoeun, who had been eating melon, glanced sideways as if asking what kind of nonsense I was talking about.
She quickly chewed and swallowed the melon in her mouth, then looked up at me and asked,
"Is it that again? I told you, I don't really plan on going to school. I already know everything they teach there, so why would I go? It'd just be a waste of time."
"No, but still, you don't just go to school to study. You can make friends there, too…"
At my continuing words, Seoeun shook her head from side to side and replied,
"No thanks. If I go, who's going to help you, Oppa? I'm the one who handles all the hacking, fund management, and even the detailed plans for terror execution."
Hmm, she's got a point.
Still, I feel bad that she can't go to school because of me and is stuck inside the house with me.
Did she read my thoughts?
Seoeun mumbled something, then spoke to me in a slightly smaller voice.
"…And besides, I don't need anyone else. You and Subin Unnie are enough…"
After saying just that much, Seoeun's face flushed red, and she quickly turned her head away.
Oh, come on.
She's too… too cute!
I stroked Seoeun's head with a satisfied smile.
"Aww, my little Seoeun. Oppa and Unnie are enough for you, huh?"
"Ugh. Be quiet! And don't pat my head."
Her face was red, and she said that, but she subtly turned her head in a direction that made it easier for me to pat her.
Seriously, are you a cat?
I can't believe this kid is already a high schooler.
Seoeun. You really suit being a middle schooler more than a high schooler.
As I stroked Seoeun's head for a moment, I fell into thought.
Well. My plan is to fill this big house with people anyway, so there will be plenty of opportunities to meet various people in the future.
…But the people coming are all quasi-villains, will that be okay?
Come to think of it, Seoeun was a villain in the original story, too? It should be fine, right?
Still, it's a relief that Seoeun was happy to see the Han-eun Group completely collapse this time. Subin-ssi's expression was a bit subtle, but… well, all's well that ends well. Now I just need to deal with the executives who went into hiding, led by Kim Seon-woo. But I'll think about that later.
First, I need to plunder the Han-eun Group's treasure.
The Han-eun Group's Behemoth Project.
An ambitious project to create life forms that can transcend humans—in short, bio-weapons.
It was a new plan they launched after spectacularly failing their previous project, which involved grinding humans into bio-experiments to turn them into acquired superhumans.
Instead of giving humans superpowers, they decided to create an army of superpowered life forms.
In short, they tried to create a monster army. It seems they wanted to conquer Korea or something.
Anyway, they created all sorts of different monsters.
Monsters with blade-like bodies, monsters that teleport, monsters that shoot flames, monsters with ten eyeballs, and so on…
The problem with them was, well… since they were artificially created, they all looked horrific. Like something out of a gore film? Anyway, they didn't have a lively feel; they looked like half-finished experiments risen from hell. As if they were about to say, 'Kill me…'?
Anyway, that's how they finally created the Behemoth. A life form whose body was composed of a miraculous substance that could block the darkness of the Shadow Walker—the biggest obstacle to conquering Korea—and, unlike other experiments with severe durability issues, could even withstand a nuclear bomb.
The guys who shouted 'Eureka!' immediately began replicating and mass-producing it. Unlike the tiny original, they named the black gargantuan gummy worm they grew through proliferation 'Behemoth.' What's the difference between this and that, I wonder…
Anyway, the problem with this creature, which they diligently created with ambitions of conquering Korea, was that despite all its good qualities, it was weak against water. And this was a truly serious problem: a country surrounded by sea on three sides, with long monsoon seasons—and water was its weakness?
So, they tried various things to overcome this weakness. More, more! They absurdly increased its size so that even a tiny bit of water wouldn't harm it, and while doing this and that…
Whoops. This guy developed a strong self-awareness?
And so, it escaped. Destroying everything.
Fortunately, I managed to make it crash into a river, though.
Anyway, the conclusion is this.
The Han-eun Group's basement has now become a den of monsters. That crazy Behemoth, that gargantuan gummy worm, broke everything as it came up, and the devices that were blocking the other monsters were mostly destroyed.
So, all sorts of monsters are roaming around. Fortunately, the final security system somehow wasn't breached, so they're barely contained in the basement by a barrier.
And I intend to enter that labyrinth.
"Did you finish washing your hands? Want to come eat some?"
"Yes, Unnie."
"Yes, Noona!"
"Ugh."
While I was lost in thought, stroking Seoeun's head, Hayul and Chaeun had already finished washing their hands and approached us. Seoeun, startled, swatting my hand away, was a bonus. She's surprisingly shy.
"Thank you for the food~"
Watching Hayul brightly smile as she picked up a piece of melon with a fork and offered it to her younger brother first, I fell into thought once more.
The Han-eun Group's basement, filled with monsters.
Deepest within that labyrinth, a treasure is hidden.
It's the prototype of the gargantuan gummy worm: Behemoth.
That tiny creature, made of small black tentacles, is still trapped there.
Hmm? You might think it's just a mini version of the Black Calamity, but it's completely different!
This one has no self-awareness; it's designed to simply follow human commands. While they call them tentacles, it's more like a black nano-suit.
Like something you wear, it can gather on your right side to enhance your right hand during a fight, or form black wings to let you fly.
It's literally a particle-suit made of tentacles that can move freely.
In the original story, Dr. Kim Seon-woo, who secretly infiltrated a few months later, re-stole it and later fought against Stardust.
During the fight, when he stretched out his hand, the black substance attached to his body extended in the shape of a fist—like a man's dream: a rocket punch.
…Of course, it was more similar to the right hand you'd imagine when someone says, 'I have a Black Flame Dragon in my right hand…' but anyway.
Yes. I wanted that.
Even with psychokinesis and teleportation, it's hard enough just protecting myself; wouldn't it be much better if I had that? At least the chances of getting shot and dying a miserable death would decrease.
Of course, this was just a simple wish. I hadn't planned to try it because it was too dangerous. Entering that labyrinth felt a bit…
However, after recruiting Hayul recently, my mind changed.
Anyway, even if I get hurt… as long as I don't die, she can just heal me, right? Right?
So, I guess I can just rough myself up, can't I?
That's how I decided.
Yes, let's go. I'll enter the underground labyrinth teeming with monsters and steal that black suit.
It's time for me to power up too!
According to the original story, even heroes don't go down there because the association opposes it, citing unverified safety.
That can be considered fortunate. Imagine I'm diligently exploring down there alone, and then I suddenly run into Stardust. That would really kill the mood.
My plan is perfect!
The sooner the better, so I'm going tomorrow.
Nothing will go wrong, right? Things won't get messed up?
For example, what if, unlike the original story, Stardust went down into that basement and we just happened to run into each other there?
Haha, what nonsense I'm spouting. There's no way something like that would happen, right?
The world wouldn't be *that* unfair to me.
***
"Understood. Stardust, I approve your Han-eun Group basement exploration mission. When do you plan to depart??"
"I'll go and be back tomorrow."
"…Very well. Understood."
***
"Oppa, why are you trembling?"
"Huh? Ah. It's nothing."
Eating melon with the kids at the dining table, I shivered with an ominous feeling.
What was that? Something feels off…
It's probably just my imagination, right?