I’m the Bad Guy, Can I Leave?

Upon receiving the message, Geum Myeong-yeol was alarmed and immediately contacted the Awakening Management Bureau. But it was already past 11pm. No one at the Bureau had returned his call.

Eventually, Geum Myeong-yeol was forced to make a choice.

“Are you going to go?”

“I’m supposed to come, so I’ll go.”

There was no time to wait until morning. An inherited item with three S-rank stats. If anyone touched it while they were waiting, it would be all for naught.

“Prepare a car, and… contact the leader of the Heavenly Spirit Guild.”

He didn’t want anyone to think that he had harmed Han Cha-soo.

‘I’m not sure if he’ll be shocked, Jung Yiheon.’

It was unfortunate, but there was nothing he could do about it. Geum Myeong-yeol quickly got dressed and started the car, just in time to get through to Jung Yiheon.

-What’s going on?

“I’ll get straight to the point, I hope you don’t misunderstand.”

Geum Myeong-yeol then told him about the message he had just received.

“Jung Yiheon, what’s wrong with you all of a sudden? Hey, turn off the lights, you crazy bastard!”

After hearing the unbelievable news from Geum Myeong-yeol, Jung Yiheon almost burned down the entire guild.

“What, fire alarm, where’s the fire?”

“It must have come from upstairs, the, uh, conference room.”

“I thought the guild leader was in there?”

“Uh, the attack team I was with said he heard it…. You know him, Han Chasoo-ssi. Looks like he can’t make it through tonight.”

“Oh my.”

After the rumour spread from mouth to mouth.

“Hyung, hyung. You’re lying when you say he’s dead, right? Aren’t you?”

“Some bastard said that shit.”

“Someone from the same team asked me via text….”

News of Han Cha-soo’s death finally reaches Baek-dam, who’s meeting with his brother.

And at the same time.

Han Cha-soo was conducting a peaceful experiment against the regeneration skill.

A small test to see how long he could go without sleeping.

[Caution!]
[Sufficient sleep is necessary for efficient energy management]
[For a good night’s sleep, we recommend going to bed before 11pm]
[Remaining sleep time: 8 hours]

Oh, it’s so loud, it’s killing me.

Han Cha-soo frowned at the system message, which was blaring as if it were growing up.

‘Just be still.’

It was now just past 12 o’clock. His eyes had begun to close at 11pm, so he’d lasted about an hour.

‘I guess once you have some energy reserves, the restrictions don’t apply as strongly.’

It was worth it to eat all three meals and take a pill in between. Satisfied with the results of the experiment, Han Cha-soo nodded.

‘I think I can go out in a week or so.’

For a moment, Han Cha-soo was hopeful. It was not a vain hope, as his voice seemed to be recovering.

“Aah.”

Until this morning, when he made a sound without thinking, it hurt like his throat was being squeezed, but now it was fine. By tomorrow, he’d be able to say yes and no.

‘I’m finally getting away from post-it notes….’

Han Cha-soo pulled the covers over his head, feeling much more comfortable. At the edge of his vision, a system window rushed by.

[Sleep time remaining: 8 hours!]

Yeah, yeah. Got it.

He’s going to sleep for eight hours, so stop looking at him. With an even breath, Han Cha-soo closed his eyes.

[Entering deep sleep to ensure a smooth recovery for the subject]
[Entering deep sleep 3 seconds, 2 seconds….]
[Initiation complete]

Boom!

At that moment, the massive defense wall surrounding the Administration Management Bureau shook, the latticed blue membrane flapping wildly.

Wooo-!

Soon, an emergency warning sounded, and the on-duty officials who checked the CCTV screamed in unison.

“Aaahhhh, you crazy bastard, why does this only happen when I’m on duty!”

“Sir… Isn’t that guy from England after taking medicine? Or I can’t explain this situation right now.”

Geum Myeong-yeol, in his jet-black bulletproof vehicle, was ramming into the building with a cool grin on his face.

Geum Myeong-yeol remained confident as he was led to the detention centre.

“Isn’t it wrong that the Awakening Management Bureau, which is supposed to be open to citizens 24 hours a day, puts up barriers like a knife at six o’clock?”

“The Awakening Management Bureau is not a convenience store, Guild master Geum Myeong-yeol. I never said it would be open to citizens.”

Ki Tae-yeon slumped back in his chair, looking tired.

‘Someone had the bright idea to raid the bureau in the middle of the night….’

As expected, it was one of the S-rank. He ran a hand through his hair and slammed the desk with a bang.

“Let’s just get this over with.”

“This is why I like Chief Ki.”

“I’m usually a fan of Exilis too, so why don’t you get it out of your system and go home. Now, why did you use your vehicle to smash the front door of the bureau building?”

Geum Myeong-yeol’s eyebrows shot up at the annoyance in his voice. Ki Tae-yeon tilted his head at the man’s unpleasant expression.

“You look very unpleasant, guild master Geum Myeong-yeol. Do you even realise that you’ve just been caught trying to break into an official residence?”

These S-ranks are all so arrogant. Clucking his tongue, Ki Tae-yeon gulped down his coffee.

Vague. It was then that I heard a voice that seemed to be asking.

“Are you pretending not to know or do you really not know?”

“What?”

“…….”

“Guild master Geum Myeong-yeol?”

“Wait, wait, wait.”

Geum Myeong-yeol waved his hand and thought for a moment. Ki Tae-yeon tapped his foot with a bored look on his face.

“I want to ask you something.”

“…Speak.”

“Has there been any deaths within the medical centre-.”

huuuuk kwaaaaang

Weeeeeeeeeee-!

“Chief, this time it’s Baek-dam! Hunter Baek-dam came in short, and it’s…!”

“Stop biting your tongue and start breathing.”

“Yes, huff! Phew, hunter Baek-dam has restored all the lab chimeras that had been moribund! All of the ten cannibal plant species have also been revived, and researchers are now panicking.”

“…….”

“Oh, it’s Baek-dam, healing a chimera in one try. That’s amazing!”

Geum Myeong-yeol exclaimed in pure admiration. Being smashed was a possible reaction, not for his guild, but Ki Tae-yeon’s gaze at him was even colder.

‘The fact that not one, but two of you went on this rampage at the same time means there’s something to it.’

But what on earth could Baek-dam and Geum Myeong-yeol have that would allow them to wreak havoc on the Awakening Management Bureau at the same time?

Maybe possible for Baek-dam and Jung Yiheon, but these two don’t have that kind of contact, and it’s not like they’re interacting with each other. So….

Ki Tae-yeon’s mind was racing.

A call came in from the director.

“…Hello.”

After answering the phone, Ki Tae-yeon closed his eyes tightly and opened them.

“Ha…. Okay.”

Thick veins sprouted on his brow as he hung up the phone.

“Guild Leader Geum Myeong-yeol.”

“Huh?”

“You’re here for hunter Han Cha-soo, too.”

Looking at the man who smiled wordlessly, Ki Tae-yeon took out a cigarette.

“I’ll just say one thing.”

Ki Tae-yeon blurted out to the intrigued Geum Myeong-yeol.

“You’re making a lot of noise.”

Geum Myeong-yeol banging on the front door because he couldn’t reach him, Baek-dam barging in and protesting without warning.

And then there’s Jung Yiheon, who sends a message directly to the director.

There was only one thing they all had in common. They all had one thing in common.

“Wake up.”

And for some reason, they were all unusually obsessed with Han Cha-soo.

“…Chasoo-ssi, Han Chasoo-ssi!”

“What, why can’t he get up?”

“That’s strange, you usually get up at this time….”

The morning when the bright sunlight stings your eyes and people’s voices touch your nerves.

[Attention!]
[Adequate sleep time not met]
[Sleep time remaining: 2 hours]
[Insufficient sleep can have adverse effects on your body]
[Beware, if you run out of energy to maintain the skill ‘Regeneration’, you may enter a deep sleep state!]

Han Cha-soo was forcibly awakened from his sleep by an irritating warning.

He was speechless at the sight before him.

“Han Chasoo-ssi, are you okay? I heard you collapsed in the bathroom yesterday, why didn’t you call me?”

“Wait a minute. Is this the real Han Cha-soo or is it a fake?”

“Chief Ki, can you please take these people away? Why did you bring these useless bastards who can’t even heal?”

In turn, Jung Yiheon, Geum Myeong-yeol. And then Baek-dam.

A bunch of things that clearly shouldn’t be in my hospital room appeared and started chattering frantically.

“Oh, please….”

I’m barely awake, and I can’t think straight with all the noise around me.

‘Wait, this sounds familiar.’

For a moment, he felt a chill run down his spine and a sense of crisis.

[Warning!]
[Subject’s energy is being consumed at a rapid rate]
[Blocking external stimuli to conserve energy]

He sighed at the system message that popped up as if he’d been waiting for it.

He knew it was coming.

[Time remaining to block external stimuli: 3 seconds, 2 seconds, 1 second….]
[Blocking external stimuli]

“Han Cha-soo!”

“No, you’re this weak? Are you a real person or a dummy?”

“Both of you, shut up and get the hell out of here.”

A small breeze tickled his cheeks as if someone had rushed up to him. Then a hot beam of light burst from his forehead.

Han Cha-soo closed his eyes. He hoped that when he opened them again, he would be alone.

Of course, his wish never came true.