Chapter 197 – Apex [Culmination]

When Siguk grasped the right hand of darkness and chose the salvation of the 100th world and the restoration of the previous ninety-nine worlds, he absorbed the lingering spirits of Ululu Tumbebe and Fenrir.

The problem was the sheer number of those spirits—ninety-nine each, totaling 198.

Darkness gathered all the lingering spirits of Ululu Tumbebe and Fenrir that remained in the previous ninety-nine worlds and handed them over to Siguk. The vast span of time, easily exceeding a thousand years in total, and the accumulated thoughts and grudges from that period, threw Siguk’s soul into turmoil.

Of course, since Darkness assisted Siguk from his side during the absorption of the spirits, Siguk’s soul was not destroyed.

If Darkness had not been there, Siguk’s soul would have been shattered and he would have become one of the lingering spirits.

Having absorbed all 198 spirits, Siguk finally underwent a stage of evolution.

The rank of the Combat Sense skill became meaningless to Siguk.

Having absorbed the 198 lingering spirits of Ululu Tumbebe and Fenrir and assimilated all the power they possessed, the concept of rank held no use for him anymore.

『You are now human, yet not human; you are yourself, yet not yourself. This is the first step of your atonement.』

As Darkness said, while Siguk gained power beyond what a human could dream of, he simultaneously lost many things he had as a human.

Among them, the fact that he lost the inhuman madness and cold-blooded pursuit of profit he possessed was, in a way, an irony.

By losing his humanity, he escaped from the inhuman elements he had possessed.

“Please, just treat me coldly. Please, just don’t say anything at all. How on earth did things come to this?”

As Yeo Jeongyeon pleaded with tears streaming down her face, Lee Dongseok quietly got up from his seat and went out to the terrace.

Siguk rose from his seat and approached Jeongyeon. Then he sat down beside her and silently pulled her into his embrace.

Jeongyeon buried half her face against Siguk’s chest, wetting it with her tears.

“I am a sinner.”

Siguk slowly began to confess his sins to her.

“For my own benefit, using the handful of memories and abilities I possessed, I caused many people to die or be injured, and I stole their rightful shares.”

“…….”

“Now I must pay the price. Only then can I finally be free.”

“…….”

“I have to return everything to how it was. The National Policy Advisory Council will still handle advisory roles across the cabinet and parliament, but once I disappear, the absolute dominance it held during my time will gradually fade.”

“…….”

“Instead, as a solid advisory body of capable individuals, it will sufficiently serve as a brake to prevent the wrong choices this country made in the past.”

“…….”

“The cartel will still prosper. And through it, you, Minori, and Zhou Peiling will still exert influence in Asia, and Marcos will maintain his dominant position in the Philippines.”

“…….”

“But because of the cartel, at least in Asia, civilian casualties caused by Villains will almost disappear.”

Nam Hanseok—or more precisely, the shell borrowing his memories and appearance—offered apologies, but they were on a different level from Siguk’s own sincere confession.

Listening to it, Jeongyeon could not hold back her flowing tears.

“It’s funny and paradoxical that the organization I created for my own greed has, in turn, become part of my atonement.”

“…….”

“Even without me, you must fill my vacant place alongside Chairman Lee Dongseok, Minori, and Zhou Peiling.”

Jeongyeon slowly lifted her head from Siguk’s chest.

Then, after bowing her head for a moment and letting her shoulders shake, she wiped away her tears and looked at Siguk.

“Unni Minori will have Siguk’s child left to her. Zhou Peiling will have his faith in Siguk left to him. But…… what will be left for me?”

“…….”

“Vice-Chairman of the Advisory Council, President of the Superhuman Association… I don’t need any of that. I just need you.”

“…….”

“Do you have to leave? Really?”

“…….”

“Then leave something for me too…… leave something for me too before you go.”

At her words, Siguk could only look at her with a pitiful gaze.

Jeongyeon, with sad eyes, looked into Siguk’s eyes gazing at her and shed tears again.

Jeongyeon embraced Siguk once more, and Siguk silently held her tightly.

“Huh?”

Park Seongjun stopped cutting his steak and looked at Siguk.

Siguk only nodded silently without a word.

Park Seongjun’s gaze shifted to Yeo Jeongyeon sitting beside him.

Jeongyeon smiled and answered on Siguk’s behalf.

“You’ll be working as the Director-General under the Secretary-General.”

“Th-that means… you’re telling me to join the National Policy Advisory Council?”

“Yes.”

Park Seongjun put down his fork and knife with a bewildered expression.

Then he wiped his mouth with a napkin and gulped down his wine in large swallows.

When his glass was empty, Siguk refilled it and spoke.

“I plan to retire soon.”

“Huh?”

“I’ve grown tired.”

“Ah, no, what do you mean… Master, how old are you that you’re already…”

“It has nothing to do with age.”

“No, but even so, suddenly like this…”

“The proposal may be sudden, but you taking over my position won’t be sudden. At least, I plan to retire once you become capable enough to sufficiently handle the Secretary-General’s duties.”

Park Seongjun tightly closed his mouth.

Noticing the anxiety in his expression, Jeongyeon spoke on Siguk’s behalf.

“You must be very anxious. After all, it’s work in a different field from what you’ve been doing.”

“Ah… that’s true too… whether I can do it well…”

“No one is good at it from the start. When I first joined the Association, I knew nothing and it was really tough. But since you have a reliable mentor, you’ll be better off than I was.”

Nevertheless, Park Seongjun showed reluctance.

“I’m a high school graduate… for such difficult work…”

At that, Siguk chuckled and spoke.

“Am I a college graduate then?”

“Ah… that’s…”

“And you’ve been sucking honey with a high salary as the JH Guild office manager all this time. Now it’s time to pay for that meal.”

“Is that how it works…?”

Siguk grinned, raised his glass, and took a sip of wine.

After watching him for a moment, Park Seongjun cautiously asked.

“Master… have you perhaps undergone some change of heart?”

“Change of heart?”

“What I’ve felt since you returned, Master… you seem quite different from before your disappearance.”

“In what way?”

“How should I put it… the atmosphere, perhaps?”

“Atmosphere… haha.”

Siguk gave no particular answer.

Park Seongjun continued.

“I have no choice but to respect your intention to retire. But… will this country really run well once you retire, Master? Just look at the mess during the past few months when you were gone…”

“That’s why we’re preparing now. So it doesn’t become a mess.”

“If I take over your position, it might become an even bigger mess…”

“Seongjun.”

“Yes.”

“That’s why you don’t have a new girlfriend.”

“Huh?”

Looking at the slightly flustered Park Seongjun, Siguk and Jeongyeon laughed.

“Have confidence. You can do it. With the same spirit that made Myeongho and Bonggil want to fold their spines in half.”

Finishing his words, Siguk raised his glass. Jeongyeon also raised her glass.

Watching them, Park Seongjun also cautiously raised his glass.

The three glasses clinked in the air, producing a clear sound.

“To fostering our Director-General Park Seongjun’s confidence.”

Siguk grinned and downed his wine.

Jeongyeon also smiled and emptied her glass.

Hesitating, Park Seongjun soon emptied his glass as well.

Monday, October 17, 2033.

8:20 AM, a busy time as everyone was heading to work.

Suddenly, breaking news appeared prominently on major broadcasters and internet portal sites.

Citizens who read articles stating that the JH Group would hold an emergency press conference at 1 PM offered various speculations.

「Aren’t they announcing Hunter Lee Siguk’s death?」

「I saw gossip that the heads of the industrial and construction divisions submitted resignations. Isn’t it related to that?」

「That’s just news for stock traders. Doesn’t feel like press conference material.」

「Aren’t they really announcing that Hunter Lee Siguk died?」

「Even if they don’t announce it, isn’t it practically confirmed he’s dead? Nam Hanseok said so last time.」

「Let’s not mention that split personality guy.」

While netizens generally predicted an announcement of Siguk’s death, JH Group affiliate stock prices fluctuated repeatedly, showing mixed trends due to gossip circulating in the stock market, on WaTube, and in portal site stock discussion boards.

And finally, at 1 PM, all media outlets broadcast the JH Group’s press conference live nationwide.

“Hello. I am Lee Siguk, Vice Chairman of the JH Group.”

For a while, people watched television and streaming live services, unable to say anything.

“I have arranged this occasion to dispel the various ominous rumors that have circulated regarding my well-being and to offer an explanation and apology to the public.”

Siguk’s appearance, speaking calmly while looking at the camera, had changed so suddenly that it delivered an even greater shock to people than Nam Hanseok’s speech expressing remorse for his past wrongs.

“Since last July, after the final battle against Ululu Tumbebe in Africa, I remained alone in Africa to block his remnants and the potential resurrection of Ululu Tumbebe.”

First, Siguk began explaining the official reason for his absence over the past few months.

“When my sword pierced Ululu Tumbebe, I felt he might not have died. Therefore, I had to leave urgently to trace his trail without even informing the Assault Team Captain, Russian President Ivan Ivanov.”

Having already coordinated with Ivan Ivanov, he calmly laid out the fabricated story.

“And after approximately three months of investigation, I became convinced that Ululu Tumbebe was completely dead and was finally able to return.”

He plugged potential holes that might arise by stating he couldn’t divulge detailed parts.

“I am aware that there has been much confusion due to various speculations regarding my well-being. I am well aware that many shareholders who love our JH Group have had difficult times because of me. Although it was for a greater cause, I apologize to the public and shareholders for causing confusion.”

As he said this, Siguk stepped to the side of the podium and bowed.

Camera flashes went off, and the live streaming comment section exploded.

“In many ways, the world is chaotic, and the fear of an unpredictable tomorrow encroaches upon our daily lives. I will strive, with the power given to me, to make this world a little more vibrant, bright, and happy, and to realize justice. Once again, I apologize to the public and shareholders.”

Thus, Siguk’s press conference ended.

The live streaming comment section filled with messages welcoming his return, and JH Group-related stocks surged over 15% in the stock market.

Shareholders leaving messages of thanks to Lee Siguk made the portal site stock discussion boards lively.

That evening, news broadcasts were plastered with the news of Siguk’s return, and foreign media also showed deep interest in his comeback.

Especially in the United States, suffering from Dungeon Breaks, the psychological expectation brought by the return of an A-Rank Hunter was enormous, leading the Dow and Nasdaq to show an upward trend after a long time.

Thus, under everyone’s attention, Siguk declared his return to the world.

A significant number of people celebrated his return with anticipation.

Particularly, the message he left—”I will strive to make this world a little more vibrant, bright, and happy, and to realize justice”—became a message of hope for Americans who lost their homes due to Monsters emerging from Dungeons and for Chinese suffering from civil war and Dungeon Breaks.

But not everyone celebrated his return.

Some had to harden their expressions as they watched his return.