Villain wants to live as a commoner chapter 122

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“We need to act assuming the worst-case scenario.”

Baek Gunho spoke with composure, despite the turmoil.

“Are you listening? Focus.”

— Y-Yes! Yes, sir!

“If that’s a living creature, we need to block the fissure at intervals to prevent it from coming through. Like a net.”

— Ah… Ah, I understand! I’ll relay that immediately!

“We’ll continue as planned. Redirect Yoon Jungyun and Oh Mingyu to handle that side.”

— Understood!

The call ended. Seeing Baek Gunho’s steady demeanor calmed me as well.

“You’re surprisingly composed.”

“I’ve been in plenty of tight spots before.”

“Because of me?”

Baek Gunho frowned as if to say, “Why would you even ask that?”

He didn’t bother responding, instead looking silently out the window.

That inability to offer meaningless reassurances was very much like him.

We were in the middle of sealing the fissure when the phone rang again.

— The center part isn’t closing properly. The operation is being called off, and the deployed personnel are regrouping.

“Terrific,” I muttered sarcastically.

The fissure was widening at an alarming rate.

By now, it was so vast that its interior could clearly be seen.

Movements from deep within the fissure were becoming increasingly visible.

There was no more denying it.

That thing was an eye.

Hoping otherwise or escaping into delusions wouldn’t help now.

Acknowledging the truth and bracing for what was coming was the only option.

That thing could not be allowed to escape.

I focused entirely on closing the fissure.

Then, suddenly, something slammed into the helicopter with immense force.

The impact shook the entire aircraft violently.

I quickly activated my skill, using telekinesis to hurl the damaged helicopter far away.

Boom!

An explosive sound erupted overhead—a detonation.

If I had been even slightly slower, not only would we have been injured, but the pilot could have been killed.

The helicopter pilot in the front seat had already lost consciousness from the impact.

As the helicopter lost balance and began to plummet, I used telekinesis to stabilize it and land it gently on the rooftop of a nearby building.

I glanced down to assess the commotion below.

On the streets, people who had left the shelters were fleeing in panic.

Word about the fissure must have leaked, and understandably so—how could anyone remain calm with a massive fissure looming overhead?

The recent explosion had likely spooked them further, sending everyone scattering.

“This isn’t good.”

Baek Gunho, who had just reported the situation to the Hunter Bureau, approached me.

“Let’s go.”

Though the fleeing people weighed on my mind, our priorities were clear.

I floated into the air alongside Baek Gunho.

Holding the mana stone tightly, I noticed him glancing at me with concern.

“Can you handle both at once?”

“Of course.”

I dismissed Baek Gunho’s needless concern and activated the mana stone.

If this were the me from before, I might have struggled to use both skills and the mana stone simultaneously.

But with my prior experience, this wasn’t beyond me.

Despite knowing that, Baek Gunho’s worrying tendencies had grown lately.

What concerned me more was the chaos on the ground.

People evacuating were everywhere.

The situation on the surface was utter mayhem, teetering on the edge of catastrophe.

To resolve the chaos fundamentally, the fissure had to be sealed.

“What… is this?”

As we continued to seal the fissure while moving, a part of it abruptly expanded like a massive tear.

While most of the fissure had opened to about one meter, this section had stretched to over five meters.

Baek Gunho, surveying the fissure and its surroundings, clicked his tongue.

“Looks like there’s another person with a mana stone.”

“What? Are you serious?”

“Yeah. Look below—just scraps of clothing left. Don’t bother looking.”

When I instinctively tilted my head to glance downward, Baek Gunho stopped me.

I heeded his warning and refocused on the fissure, aiming the mana stone toward the massive gap.

Why would anyone desire destruction on this scale?

I didn’t understand it.

Neither did I understand the past me—Seo Heewon.

And perhaps it was better not to.

Not understanding was the only reason my characteristics were being erased now.

I steadied my resolve and concentrated.

The fissure required increasingly more power from the mana stone to close.

The obstacles—both the growing fissure and intentional interference—were mounting.

And there was worse news.

“The center part won’t close?”

— Yes. Starting from the edges was the correct approach, it seems.

The Bureau’s report was grim.

Preventing the enormous being from emerging was now out of the question.

— Hunter Oh Mingyu is on his way to join you. He should arrive shortly.

Baek Gunho clicked his tongue at the mention of Oh Mingyu, unsurprising given their mutual animosity.

I wasn’t fond of Oh Mingyu either, but we needed him now.

— Additional mana stones have been secured, and we’ve identified an A-rank Hunter compatible with using them. Five additional members will join the operation, with three headed your way. The remaining two will be deployed after further assessment.

“Did their helicopter get attacked too?”

— Yes. They’re traveling on foot now, with support from flight-capable Hunters en route.

“Damn it.”

So they were attacked as well.

Traveling on foot would inevitably slow them down, as it was far less efficient than flying.

Still, some good news gave me hope.

If we accelerated our efforts, we might just make it in time.

A sudden explosion echoed in the distance, similar to the one that had struck our helicopter.

This one, too, was unmistakably deliberate.

“More sabotage…” Baek Gunho muttered, irritation seeping into his voice.

I closed the rift again and again.

I tried to seal it as quickly as possible, but… even pouring my magic into it, the amount of power converted by the magic stone had its limits, and the speed wouldn’t increase beyond a certain point.

While I was concentrating, something flew toward me.

Or rather, someone.

A person whose eyes were half-crazed, clearly not in a normal state.

The figure flying at me began to fall as they approached.

Startled, I used a skill to catch them before they hit the ground.

“Our god, greetings,” the person said with a sly grin.

Though their appearance was different, that tone of voice… It was unmistakably Lee Jaehee.

Lee Jaehee had the ability to control other people’s bodies.

Even when I had no memory of it, that’s how he had approached me before.

At times like this, Lee Jaehee would use whoever happened to be nearby.

So I couldn’t act recklessly—the person before me was merely a victim, their body stolen by him.

I swallowed my rising anger and suppressed it.

“I’m not a god.”

“You’re a god because I believe you are.”

Utterly self-centered.

He clung to me with an infuriating persistence.

Laughing to himself, Lee Jaehee spread his arms wide as he looked at the rift.

“All of this is thanks to you, our god.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

“Oh, but it’s true. This research was completed by gathering and analyzing the memories that Nayoung foresaw. You could say it carries the will of the divine.”

“……”

Instead of responding, I scanned my surroundings.

Lee Jaehee couldn’t be far away. His skill couldn’t work from too great a distance.

Sensing my intent, Lee Jaehee stared at me.

“Do you want to meet me in person?”

“Yes. So come out.”

“If our god commands, I should comply… but it’s difficult at the moment.”

He said it as if he’d grant my request, only to turn me down on a whim. Truly infuriating.

As I was pondering how to handle this, Lee Jaehee suddenly said, “If you don’t stop, I’ll blow everything up.”

Boom!

A deafening explosion rang out in the distance, black smoke billowing into the sky.

Lee Jaehee smiled contentedly and whispered, “See?”

“You…”

“Don’t mind him. The rift is more urgent,” Baek Gunho said, urging me on.

I knew he was right, but it felt like I’d swallowed a thorn.

My insides churned with frustration.

Lee Jaehee leaned closer, his voice dripping with venom.

“So you don’t care if countless people die, as long as you can seal the rift?”

“……”

“If you’re going to kill them anyway, just leave.”

“Stop it!” I shouted, unable to hold back.

Lee Jaehee chuckled.

“Haha… I like it when you call out like that. You know, if it weren’t for Baek Gunho, we might’ve been closer…”

“Don’t be absurd.”

Boom!

Another explosion cut me off.

“Stop it right now.”

—No need to stop, Heewon.

A familiar voice interrupted.

I turned toward the sound, seeing Baek Gunho holding a phone to his ear.

What the… How long had he been on the phone?

Judging by his expression, he’d heard everything.

I felt a surge of confusion—both at the words spoken and the steady voice delivering them.

—Go ahead. I’ll handle this criminal.

“Uncle…”

—You don’t need to worry anymore. It’s okay, alright?*

“Don’t bluff—ah!”

Lee Jaehee let out a short scream.

The body he had taken control of slumped lifelessly.

It seemed his real body had suffered a significant shock, forcing the connection to break.

“How did you find him?” I asked.

—I couldn’t just sit and take it. Don’t worry too much. Just go.

“……”

—You can do this, Heewon.

It was the voice of the uncle I knew, one that made me feel like crying.

“Got it!”

I hastily replied, signaling to Baek Gunho.

He ended the call and clicked his tongue at me.

“Crybaby.”

“You’re the last person who should say that…”

“Wipe your tears quickly. The others will be here soon.”

“I’ll take care of it.”

“You don’t want anyone to see you crying, so hurry up.”

“Why do you care?”

Baek Gunho glared at me.

Fine, glare all you want.

What’s he going to do about it?

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