Chapter 56: Fans
Chapter 56: Fans
Now, let's think about it.
The villain started a terrorist attack.
But what are the chances that the villains' hostages are his fans?
I don't know how many there will be, but I think I know it now.
"Mango Stickkkkkk! I'm your fan!!!!"
College girls screamed loudly with their windows down.
Why the hell is this happening to me?
All I wanted was a normal family shaking in fear.
Oh, they're shaking, too.
But I think they are shaking because of the excitement…
"Haha, I didn't expect this situation…"
I said with a big smile.
Metal music is still playing in the car.
At the same time, the eyes of those who are excited are drawn to me. They are… hostages?
[So funny Hahahahaha.]
[About the case where the hostages were my fans]
[How did they run into Mango Stick? Hahahaha So brave!]
[Really. Isn't it his first time hearing the word “Mango Stick”?]
[I think he already knows about it since he did name himself Apple Mango last time.]
[They're so brave. Villain's fan is coming out in front of the whole country. They’re even showing their faces while wearing the college’s jackets and looking at him confidently.]
[That’s crazy.]
The chat window itself is a mess.
No, the more I meet this kind of situation, the more I need to get my act together.
This is something that was within the expected range. If I stay focused and move on smoothly, there will be no problem.
I managed my facial expression again, and smiled at them.
"Yes, yes. Hello, I’m Egostic. Everyone is very hmm… You guys seem to be having fun. Can you introduce yourself?"
"Yes!!!"
The women answered with energy
Yeah, yeah.
It's good to be energetic.
The kid sitting by the window where I was standing was the first to speak.
"Hello! We are members of ‘Veritas', a club about heroes and villains at Yeonhee University!"
She answered with full of energy in a bright voice.
No, I didn't ask for the names of the universities and clubs. That’s TMI.
I thought they were some idols greeting for the first time at the year-end festival.
……This is definitely an interview with the hostages who were unlucky to be caught on the bridge, right? I’m not hosting Music Bank*, right? *TN: A Korean music show on KBS.
"My name is Kim Yeon-hwa, the club's manager."
And the girls behind them revealed their names one after another.
One person behind them suddenly spoke loudly.
"Kim Yeonhwa is your fancafe manager, oppa!"
…Who the hell is your “oppa”?
But apart from that, what she said was quite interesting.
"The manager of my fancafe?"
I looked at the girl sitting in front of me again.
She’s slightly blushing.
Twisting one of her fingers in her brown bob, she spoke up again.
"Yes. Do you know anything about… Mango Union? Mango… I mean, they're the fans who like you, Egostic. By the way, everyone here, including me, is in Mango Union!"
She spoke with full pride.
Ah……
Please stop.
My hands and feet are cringing.
Who's doing this in front of the person…?
But I'm a professional, the professional in the villain industry.
The professional me… replied with a fresh smile.
"I see. It's such an honor to have people who like me. But, um… I'm really curious, do you know that I'm a villain?"
I caught her off guard here.
I mean, I'm thankful that they're my supporters.
Are they really forgetting that I'm a villain?
I thought these Mango Union were just conceptual ones that only went around on the Internet, but I've just changed my mind.
Even though he was held hostage at the scene of the terrorist attack, his eyes glistening at the terrorist is not a concept.
This is just madness…
Why would someone who looks normal and popular do this kind of thing?
She was startled at my pure question so she asked me back with a quizzical voice.
"What? Aren't you the S-rated hero, Apple Mango?"
I almost lost my mind when I heard it.
No, I can't listen to them anymore.
I can’t stand it anymore. Please stop.
"Yes!!! Thank you. That's a very interesting story. Can you say a word to wrap this up?"
I threw the ending ment in a hurry.
Obviously, my purpose was to instill guilt in the public who are ignorant that only wanted to receive $100, but I’m talking a few thousand light years away from it.
It's right to just finish it quickly.
As I made a gesture to end it like that, they whined, "Why are you ending it already?"
Well, I think this is the most painful time since I fell into this world. I'm going crazy.
Of course, I don't express that feeling outwardly, but just smile.
That's a relief. The mask covers half of my face.
My lips are shaking under the mask.
Aside from the rest of the kids who were only saying weird things behind me, she listened to me, thought for a while, and glinted as if she had realized something.
"Oh!"
Then she rummages through the bag in front of her.
After seeing it, the other women in the back looked through the bag together as if they had realized it. What is it?
What they took out of their bags like that.
A notebook?
"Give me your autograph!"
They give me notebooks with their eyes shining.
I ended up failing my poker face, snapping my forehead and sighing.
Please… Please stop…
[Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.]
[Can you see that he's seriously bewildered? Hahaha.]
[Aren’t they just crazy brats? Hahahahaha.]
[It’s dizzy, right?]
[So this is a conversation between a terrorist and a hostage, right?]
[Why are you giving them an autograph? Hahahahaha.]
[Mango sighed but still did everything they asked. Hahahaha.]
[Is this really a villain? Hahahaha.]
In the end, I gave them my autograph.
I just scribbled it in English. I just roughly signed but they seem to like it.
Lastly, I ended the interview by giving them some strawberry cream bread left over.
And they screamed as they closed the window.
"Oh! And I received $100! Thank you!"
Tsk
This terrorist attack is just a disaster.
***
Anyway, after many twists and turns, the promised time was over.
I turned on the camera that was off after the interview.
Standing on the Mapo Bridge, I turned on the microphone and announced.
Behind me is a large electronic display, not a blue sky.
How did Seo-eun make it float with computer synthesis technology? Is this the famous metaverse?
"Yes, everyone. It's already seven o'clock in the evening. The public-participatory terrorism that I presented. Do you choose $100? Or the life of the bridge and other people? I will reveal the results of this terrorist attack, which I prepared to find out how selfish humans are."
[Bump. Bump.]
[I don't think there are more than 5 million people.]
[There’s no way 5 million people saw this… Not in such a short time without any notice.]
[Let's go~ Let's go~ Let's go~ Let's go~]
[We can't disappoint Mr. Young-jin. Let's show them the power of Korea!!!]
[I don't think that Yeonhwa girl will be disappointed.]
[Fuck. If the bridge collapses, I can't go to work.]
[I'm a civil servant. I'm praying that it won’t be blown up with my hands together. If it explodes, I’ll go crazy.]
"Please show us the results! The result is!!!"
The number of electronic boards behind me began to rise.
One, ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand… A steep rise in the number on the electronic board.
"The result is!!!""
I was almost screaming .
The number is going up like crazy! And even the videos of the people watching me started glitching! Glitching screen! And I’m also blinking! The numbers are flashing!!!
"The result isssssss!!!!”
I can barely see the screen now!
The screen that was shining on me suddenly turned into a white screen that said "Egostic."
Bang. Fireworks shot everywhere and shone on me again.
The number on the big billboard behind me is.
[7,523,660]
"Seven million!!! Fifty hundred!!! And twenty thousand people!!! Received $100!!!!!
I shouted out slowly.
"Wow!" And the cheers from somewhere. Of course. it's just BGM.
Clap. I clapped my hands.
"Amazing! People of Korea! I honestly thought it would be only over five million, but seven million! It's beyond my imagination!!!"
I smiled broadly.
I opened my arms as if I was about to say Hooray.
"This explosion is for you, selfish people. Congratulations everyone!!!"
Behind me while I was standing with my arms open.
The electronic display disappeared.
The bridge that looks like a background…
Thumppppppppppppp-
It began to collapse after a massive explosion.
Explosions are… art!
"Thank you for participating in the terrorist attack of Egostic! See you next time! Until then, bye!!!"
I smiled and waved at the camera.
After waving, I turned off the camera.
Phew, today's shooting is over.
After the real-time livestream, I wiped my sweat in the air.
Wow, I've been here for ten hours. It was some marathon-like terrorism. It was hard…
Floating in the air, I looked down.
The bridge crumbled with loud noise.
And from far away, a woman was flying over at great speed.
Our Stardus.
It's been a long time.
She was gorgeous in her red hero suit, flying with her blonde hair.
The last time I saw her was at a festival, right? That's a long time ago. It's been a really long time since we've seen each other.
I don't know when I'll see you again if I see you today, so let's just take a look.
I didn't run away so quickly, but I relaxed and watched while staying in the air using my telekinesis. I feel sorry that she has to make up for what I've been up to… But because it’s a good thing, right?
She's flying really fast, holding up an SUV that was about to fall off the other side of the collapsing bridge with one hand.
Wow, she blocked trains and planes, and now she’s holding a car with one hand?
…She seems to have grown faster than the original comic… Well, it’s still a good thing..
So with the SUV in one hand, she flew back to the car on my side.
But the problem is… Probably because she was holding an SUB with her hand so the speed was a bit slower…?
And what? That car looks like it's going to dive into the Han River
How did Choi Young-jin fall down together on the collapsing bridge? His car was about to fall between the collapsed asphalt of the bridge. Even before Stardus came.
She's almost there, but that car has finally slipped through the bridge.
"Come on."
And at that very moment. I reached out before I knew it. I pulled the falling car with my telekinesis and held it slightly in the air.
I held it in a very short time, around one or two seconds.
But that was enough time for the Stardus to save him.
Eventually, she was able to grab all the cars that had fallen in time.
"Fuck… Huff. Huff.”
Gosh, I feel like dying.
As I quickly used the telekinesis it drained the energy of my whole body.
Haru, Shin Haru. Why were you late? He almost died.
It would have been very funny if anyone saw the villain saving the hostage that he was trying to kill.
Even so.
I can't ruin Stardus' reputation for rescuing all civilians, right?
I couldn't help it… I had no choice…
And Stardus with two cars turned to look in my direction for a moment.
Our eyes suddenly met. Fuck, I didn’t get caught, did I?
As soon as I made eye contact with her, I swung my cape and turned behind my back.
Then, I teleported right away and left the scene.
I did nothing.
I don't know anything…!
***
Stardus. With the car in her hand against the backdrop of a collapsing bridge, she fell into thought.
Egostic. The car fell from where he was.
It seemed to fall off without a moment for her to catch him.
"Just now, definitely…"
It looked like it was falling but got hung for a moment…