That’s How They Became Villains

#44. Ruler of the Underworld -3-

Laman assessed the situation.

Five people wearing similar style costumes.

They must be members of the Maker’s organization, which has never been revealed until now.

‘Where were they hiding before they appeared?’

Laman shook his head.

What good would it do to think about that now?

These guys had secretly infiltrated the airship that the Royals were riding.

They must be skilled at concealing themselves. It couldn’t be helped that he hadn’t noticed them.

“What are you thinking so hard about? Are you afraid we might eat you?”

Laman swallowed dryly.

Was the preemptive attack too clumsy?

At a glance, they didn’t have a single scratch, despite pouring all the firepower he had at his disposal.

The difference in strength was overwhelming. If this turned into a violent confrontation, they would definitely suffer near-annihilation.

“Laman. If what I’m saying is too difficult for you, just remember this one thing.”

Laman recalled the advice that the boss had given him so frequently.

‘Keep your head cool and your heart warm.’

Yes. When he cooled his head and looked again, it seemed like it had indeed been a clumsy action.

The other side hadn’t shown hostility first. They just said they would save the boss…

“…”

…they would save the boss if they came under their command. That’s all they had said.

Treating the boss’ life like an object to be bartered was insulting, but anger wouldn’t earn money or put food on the table.

Now was the time to bend. The boss would have said the same thing.

Combat is always the last resort…the last resort…

“…I have one condition.”

“Now we’re talking. What is it?”

“If the boss comes back to life, my subordinates and I are no longer ‘remnants’.”

“And?”

“What you want is to take our Red Witch completely under your wing, right? Not us remnants.”

“Hmm…that’s right.”

“Then our obedience to you will come after hearing the boss’ opinion. If the boss’ opinion conflicts with yours, we will prioritize the boss’ opinion. Is that still okay?”

“Hooh…”

First nodded.

“In other words, you mean this? First, save the boss. After that, if the boss yields, we’ll yield too. But if the boss doesn’t yield, we won’t yield either.”

“Uh…? Was that what it meant…?”

“It’s a characteristic of stupid guys. Making words unnecessarily complicated.”

Nazha sighed as if disgusted.

Laman’s fists trembled but this time, he endured without showing it.

For Laman, the boss was that precious.

“Yes, do that.”

First agreed readily.

At the same time, Laman’s expression turned to bewilderment.

It was his own proposal, but honestly, it was a ridiculous one.

It was no different from going to a restaurant and declaring, “I’ll eat, but if it doesn’t taste good, I won’t pay.”

And they’re accepting this?

Of course, First had her own thoughts.

Without W, the Red Witch organization is just a group of misfits but without those misfits, even with W, it wouldn’t be Red Witch.

Only with both W and the misfits does it become Red Witch, so First couldn’t afford to lose the trust of either.

If she used violence to persuade the misfits, she would lose W’s trust.

If she played tricks to persuade W, she would lose the misfits’ trust.

To swallow Red Witch whole, she needed to gain the trust of both but Laman, who had no way of knowing First’s dark intentions, thought:

‘…What? Are they better people than I expected?’

To repeat, Laman was simple.

He’s a hot-blooded person who found fists more accessible than law, and whose head easily got heated.

That’s why he was also a man who knew how to sacrifice for his comrades and knew how to be angry.

“Then…I’m counting on you.”

At Laman’s words, the gangsters who had been maintaining their stance lowered their guns.

Finally, a stable atmosphere enveloped the dim abandoned factory.

“But…how do you plan to perform the procedure?”

Goliath and Grumsch asked as they brought the ice box containing the boss’ head.

In response, Nazha and Seolhwa stepped forward to demonstrate.

“Which one of you two had his arm cut off by our team…boss?”

“Me, it’s me…!”

Grumsch raised his hand and stepped forward at Nazha’s question.

“Which arm?”

“The left one…!”

With a crunch!! sound, Grumsch’s left arm was pulled out.

“Aaaaargh!!”

Grumsch writhed in pain, and Goliath shouted.

“W-what are you doing all of a sudden…!!”

“You asked for a demonstration. Stay still.”

Nazha held Grumsch’s body with an indifferent expression so he couldn’t move.

The procedure was instantaneous.

While Seolhwa was exerting her recovery ability, a new mechanical arm began to form on Grumsch’s shoulder.

“Try moving it.”

Grumsch, who had his eyes tightly shut from pain, slowly opened them.

As he clenched and unclenched his hand, a mechanical clicking sound was heard.

“Huh…?”

He turned his gaze toward his arm.

His left arm had been replaced with an artificial arm that would cost tens of millions of won for a procedure in the city.

Grumsch spun around the mechanical arm that felt no different from his original arm, as if it had always been his.

Then, wham! He swung it toward a concrete wall.

The concrete crumbled and an excited Grumsch raised his hands to the sky and cheered.

“We’ll rebuild the entire body like this.”

Goliath, who had lost his ability to speak at the shocking sight, remained silent.

“How long do you think it will take?”

Laman, who had just entered the room and was observing the scene, asked.

“Well, since we need to rebuild the entire body, starting from the nerve lines of the spine that connect to the brain, all the way to artificial organs…”

Nazha showed four fingers.

“4 hours.”

“Oh? That’s shorter than I thought.”

In response to Seolhwa’s question, Nazha leaned in and whispered the answer.

Enhanced human procedures sometimes result in death, so they usually proceed cautiously, but there’s no need to be cautious here, which is why it doesn’t take long.

Having her question answered, Seolhwa felt slightly creeped out.

“Then let’s start…yawn. Everyone leave except one.”

Nazha cutely yawned and gestured for them to leave.

At that, Grumsch, who was excited about his new mechanical arm, Goliath, who envied him, and Laman, who couldn’t hide his joy at the thought of meeting the boss, all left the operating room.

Outside the operating room, an awkward atmosphere prevailed.

It was natural, given that until just a few minutes ago, they had been glaring at each other as if they wanted to kill each other but as they say, men can fight fiercely and then make up immediately afterward.

Three hours later. The abandoned factory, which had somehow turned into a social gathering place like a construction site workers’ party, echoed with First’s clear voice.

“…So! The winner of this talent show competition is Mr. Laman!!”

“Waaaa!!”

“As expected of the deputy chief!! I believed in you!!”

“Now then…the loser, Mr. 3, should receive a penalty, right?”

“Penalty! Penalty!”

“What kind of penalty would be good? Let’s take some suggestions from the audience!!”

“Let’s record a video of the talent show he just did and upload it to Arc!!”

“Wooo!! Let’s make him sing the song he just sang in the middle of downtown!!”

“No…”

The loser, 3rd, Kim Seok-ho, sighed in disbelief.

He had been thinking about it before, but that woman Chae Yu-ha…she had an unusually high affinity with men. Not in a flirtatious way, but in a human sense.

Of course, it was the result of her desperately trying to be loved by her seniors in her previous life. He would probably never know that.

Seok-ho turned his gaze toward Agio.

Agio was wearing earplugs and was snickering while operating a camcorder with one hand.

Am I really the only normal person here…? Seok-ho was starting to miss his younger sister’s face.

“Ah, it seems we’re having trouble narrowing down the options…Shall we have a vote? Those who want to record a video of the talent show and upload it to Arc, please shout loudly!!”

“Woaaaah!!!!!”

“Thank you for the enthusiastic cheers! Now let’s hear from the other side too? Those who want him to sing in the middle of downtown, please shout!!”

“Aaaaaaah!!!”

“Ah~ That’s weak! At this rate, the talent show video will be uploaded to Arc? Come on, one more time!!”

“Aaaaaaaaaah!!!!!!”

At that moment, the door of the operating room burst open, and an angry Nazha rushed out.

“Shut up!! You idiots!! We’re about to do the most important fusion procedure, so be quiet!!”

-Slam!!

Nazha went back into the operating room.

In the suddenly cooled atmosphere, First stepped in to mediate.

“That’s what she says~ Everyone! Let’s wrap up our fun and prepare for the emotional reunion with the boss~”

With claps, the gangsters got up from their seats and began to clean up the area.

“Ah, that was fun after a long time.”

“3rd, you clean up that side. I’ll clean this side.”

“No…”

What is wrong with these guys? How can they be so simple-minded?

Clearly, until just a moment ago, they were pointing guns at each other…

Feeling slightly dizzy, Seok-ho decided to just clean up as instructed.

He did so because he felt that if he thought about it anymore, all the common sense he had built up so far would be destroyed.

While they were cleaning up, one of the gangsters muttered something while holding something in his hand.

“Huh? What’s this?”

Goliath, who happened to be nearby, approached to check.

“What is it?”

“Ah, boss. Look at this.”

The gangster extended his hand.

In his hand, a small drone was fidgeting.

“A drone…?”

Drone.

That word, which Goliath had casually muttered, was clearly heard by the two enhanced humans present.

Their gazes crossed.

Seok-ho, who was relatively closer to the microphone, urgently grabbed it.

“Everyone, grab your weapons!! We’re being monitored…!!”

-Swish.

The factory door, which had been cleanly cut, collapsed in half.

Along with it, the figures of five observers standing beyond the door were revealed.

“Everyone, don’t move.”

Last declared in a subdued voice.

“From now on, if you move even a step, it will be considered as intent to resist.”