A first in history: the emergence of a terrorist who threatened a nation with rice!
No, if this were the era of a rice-standard nation where rice itself was money, he would have been arrested for manipulating currency value.
Who would have thought he could cause a major incident with that in modern Korea?
"...The problem is the amount of time it took that man to devour a mountain."
National Assembly or government... sadly, the time had come when they needed to worry about such things.
"A guy who drains a mountain over 600 meters above sea level in mere minutes runs faster than an average car?"
It was a point where the system wasn't even properly established for ability users to develop their abilities or regulate their usage.
Therefore, if that still isn't even a 100% strengthened state right now?
The more he devours, the possibility of reaching the next stage isn't zero, is it?
Possessing that strength, and the pure destructive power of a body that strikes down with that strength—considering it grows on a logarithmic scale.
"If we assume the worst case, his movement speed and range could be about that of an average airplane..."
The worst-case scenario came out that if he truly sets his mind to it and enters a full plunder state, all rice paddies could be annihilated within ten days.
"Kuk... It pisses me off, but if what he wants is only that much, we have no choice but to give in."
It wasn't even really a negotiation... yet even with trash-level demands that were closer to a notification.
If you caused an accident with a car bearing a bull logo, and the other side said, "Let's pretend it never happened, you dog-like bastards."
Is getting cursed at the problem? We should simply be grateful they let it go.
The problem is, even when people who rarely possessed hard power made normal judgments...
"This, is it okay to act however he wants? Is this really how a country is supposed to run!"
It seems those from the soft power faction did not think so.
"A young punk thinks he can live well in this country after shaking the very foundations of society!"
"He pops out alone and threatens national security... is that sound logic!"
Weren't they in a situation where the broadcasts were outright exposing exactly where they were gathered?
If a few principled reporters who do their best for the people's right to know rush to the scene from wherever.
"Yeah, would such a law even work? The traffic is going to pour in nicely!"
"According to tips from some executives, there are injured but no deaths yet... want to try for a jackpot?"
Journalists burning with conviction of a different sort—greed for money—began to follow behind.
Since most major newspaper buildings were clustered near where the incident broke out.
It didn't take long for teams to arrive and for everyone to confirm faces while going, "Ugh, it's these bastards again."
"...My God, an entire mountain just died?"
"From there to there it was all rocks or trees... now it's just rocks or gray stuff."
Not long after, as they entered the foothills of Bukhansan where all green had disappeared.
"Look at them holding cameras, they look like reporter bastards?! Hey, look! They're here, so surround them!"
"Huh... huh?! What is this?! These ahjummas, what are they doing..."
What came to them was not the baptism of sweet scoops...
"Where do you think this is, coming here and poking around?! Get out right now!"
"If our kid gets hurt because of bastards like you, who's going to take responsibility!!"
It was the baptism of steel rods wielded by furious mothers who had sent their children to the military and were standing their ground.
"I told you Seoul has a lot of people? The soldier is from Seoul, the mom is from Seoul... and these days communication is good too."
From the standpoint of parents who saw on the news that their children were trapped with a terrorist.
Would they believe bullshit like "The negotiation is going well..." or would it be faster to come recklessly to check because they live in Seoul?
Mothers who drove urgently like that, took the subway... pacing around anxiously worrying about their kids.
"You filthy bastard! Does it make sense to use the monopoly development card like that there?! You traitor bastard...!!"
"Haven't you heard that there are no eternal allies or eternal enemies?! You're the loser! Ten thousand won is sweet... Mom?"
After stuffing themselves to bursting with Chinese food, grabbing each other by the collar during a PX ten-thousand-won bread board game.
They discovered their children, pathetic yet peaceful, with personality problems exploding instead of physical issues.
"...Weren't the kids being held hostage? By that... terrorist."
"That's right? Since we're forcibly blocking them from leaving, isn't that detainment?"
So flabbergasted by this pathetic situation that they started smacking their sons' backs, but by now they roughly got the picture.
"Mothers, please have a meal as well, and help out with something so the kids can rest comfortably?"
--I'll help you claim a sweet, hefty amount of mental damage compensation!
To make the kids who were currently eating and playing well here into victims, what should they do about the unwanted guests who would soon arrive?
Whoosh! Smack!!
"Aaah!! It hurts! It stings!! What is this ahjumma doing... Aaack!!"
"Won't you get away?! We're already holding hostages, why are you digging into that and making a big deal!!"
If Kim Chomok used his own hands, he would become a bad guy in a frontal confrontation with the press, breaking pens with force, but.
If he puts steel rods in the mothers' hands like this, this becomes a "motherhood versus trash reporters" meta.
"There is no greater public will in Korea than parents thinking of their children, you know?"
Even if the military during this already unstable period said, "Those bastards had it easy!" who would believe them?
"I wish they'd hurry up and bring the pardon document, politician gentlemen..."
Kim Chomok hummed, having finished maintaining perfect secrecy as well.
"...Did you make a bed now? I didn't know your childhood dream was running a junk shop."
"Ah, I have plenty of time and my back hurts, so what do you want me to do!"
He lay on his side, throwing his body onto a temporary makeshift bed made of car seats.
***
Whether it was for Kim Chomok's back health or because it had been prepared in advance.
The issuance of the pardon document with three official signatures was quite fast.
Because from the start of the hostage crisis, the National Assembly had been on standby.
The President too, being in a situation where it could end with a single signature of his, didn't try to drag it out.
Then, well, they just needed someone who could literally run around like a dog in the meantime to reduce the time.
"...I got it."
"Mmm, you really ran around diligently. Good to see."
"...I don't think that's a compliment, hehe. Honestly, I feel good."
The man who decided to become that dog the moment he realized all of this was being broadcast live on the internet.
Jeong Sumyeong collapsed onto a temporary sheet chair, saying he had done a month's worth of exercise today.
His hair stuck with sweat, the hair gel he had diligently applied in the morning now making him look exactly like a wet dog.
Perhaps because it was too hot to wear his suit properly, he looked pathetic wearing only a sweat-soaked dress shirt, but.
'This is it. After this situation ends later, I'll become the young man who worked alone while others just ran their mouths...'
The briefcase in the arms of the man who had actually gained the most today.
Kim Chomok opened that case and took out the scraps of paper inside.
"Now, everyone. You see? This is the certificate of pardon officially recognized by this country's legislative and executive branches."
- Wow, he really got it signed... That guy is something else.
- What if this is fake? If it's actually a false document and he tries retaliation later?
"Then now the legislative and executive branches have lied, meaning it's a 'false government,' 'false National Assembly,' right?"
- ...What do you mean by that, young man Chomok...
From the moment this splendid pardon document was revealed to the few people around and the sea of people on the internet.
The nation called the Republic of Korea had officially recognized Kim Chomok as an ordinary person rather than a "criminal"!
"You're all my witnesses, right? Wow, tens of thousands... no, over a hundred thousand are watching this. I'm free--!!"
- Yeah, you get discharged... no, how much damage was caused just because you were blocked from discharging once...
- Let's just think of it as a strong preventive shot rather than having this shit happen again next time.
Many people in the chat window, congratulating while giving reluctant applause, expected Kim Chomok's exit, but.
"Now, but amazingly it's not over yet! We're doing a bit more!"
"...What?! What are you talking about now! The situation is over!!"
Kim Chomok, sitting down, began to request thirty minutes of karaoke service.
"No, look at the pardon document contents. Here it says things that happened 'until today' are to be erased, right?"
But the person who explicitly said they would provide that service wasn't Kim Chomok.
"In other words, until 23:59 when the day changes... doesn't it mean I can do whatever batshit insanity in this country and be fine?"
Weren't the store owners all in a state of having given autonomy to sing to their heart's content based on mutual agreement?
Of course, if he caused bigger trouble by common sense, he could receive a declaration of pardon invalidation, but...
"Conversely, if it's just smaller in scale than what I did now? It means they won't necessarily invalidate it."
Moreover, he needs to go home now, but if his house is raided while reporters are packed densely?
"Yeah, even if I'm going, I should do one killer interview before I go."
His current state is a nationally certified Purge Day!
It was the moment madness filled Kim Chomok's eyes once again.
"...Has your friend always been like that?"
"Hm, Vice Platoon Leader. Honestly, think of it as lucky that this crazy bastard got discharged and returned here."
Just because he didn't pay an additional amount the student council had collected needlessly.
What happened after the day he was hit with belittling remarks at a drinking gathering...
'...I heard our department still doesn't even have anything like a student council...'
His high school and college classmate who watched it all shuddered, saying it gave him the creeps.
***
Click! Click!
Slowly, the troops... the steel pipes of the temporary enclosure they hadn't realized truly imprisoned them.
"...Hah, drag it out a bit more... those bastards at the top are only competent at useless things."
"Hey, are you redoing that last round? Doubling down at the end then canceling—does that make sense?"
Leaving behind the dismantling state of the temporary camp that had begun to be taken down.
Finally, today's protagonist began to formally reveal himself before the reporters for the first time.
Everyone seemed more urgent to fire their shutters than to speak, and the constant flashing was anything but easy on the eyes, but.
'...Well, since I hit them a few times beforehand, I can take some eye-searing flashes now.'
Kim Chomok, having somewhat recovered his usual composure, smiled at the live camera filming him.
Actually, wasn't this a situation where he had nothing to kneel for anymore?
"Now, ladies and gentlemen. What would you like to hear?"
"...Yes?"
"I mean, you all want to know various things. Why I did this, what my motives are, what I'll do in the future, things like that."
To think that the worst criminal of the month, who had shaken an entire country, would say this while nonchalantly picking his ear.
"...First, congratulations on the official issuance of your pardon... and your return to normal society."
"Wow, thank you for the proper congratulations. You're the type who says things that make the listener feel good."
One reporter holding a proper pen expressed rare congratulations to Kim Chomok.
Rotating ability users through the military endlessly was never a policy of a normal country to begin with.
From the standpoint of someone who had written articles critically, the acts this young man committed were indeed serious crimes hard to forgive, but.
In many ways, it was a distortion born from the imbalance of society itself, wasn't it a fault they had to bear?
As adults who appeared in society first, and as seniors who maintained this strange phenomenon...
The pardon granted to Kim Chomok was a rightful entitlement.
"So, what will you do now?"
Therefore, there was only one question that needed to be asked.
--Will you continue to act as you please in the future, creating dangerous situations for the people?
If that answer is "YES," they would have to gather the people's will into one to restrain that monster no matter what.
In this modern society where no one stands above another and no one stands below another... he's a dangerous variable, after all.
Fortunately, as it was only courteous to answer serious questions seriously, Kim Chomok gave a polite reply.
"...Uh... Well, I'll probably work part-time, then return to school? I'm a sophomore now."
To this young man on leave who said he would "re-enter" the system of society.
One of the few proper, passionate reporters let out a sigh of relief.
That he had no intention of destroying society itself and had simply stormed out because he thought things were too unfair.
Meant that he was a rational young man who could negotiate anytime, even if things went south again later, didn't it?
Of course, in this world, rather than such tame, by-the-book answers—
"Part-time? What kind of part-time job are you planning to take? The kind where public authority doesn't reach..."
"Since you subdued the military this time, you might not get caught by the police even in most illegal situations..."
There were far more reporters who shook people up with bizarre nonsense, craving provocative remarks. Such was the way of the world.
Well, it was only natural for anyone to want money, and one couldn't blame them for that, but...
"Do I have to listen to every single word these retarded bastards say? I don't, right?"
Looking at the reporters covering their faces in shame at this embarrassing reflection of their colleagues' muckraking.
Wasn't this a situation where it didn't look like he would be the one paying for it?
"Argh, I don't take peddlers. Get lost, shoo, shoo!"
With that, as if he had nothing more to say, he waved his hands at the cameras in a shooing motion.
"What do you think of reporters' interviews, of citizens' right to know! You can't just end this however you want..."
One reporter, unable to call information that everyone possessed a scoop, habitually lashed out in anger to milk something, anything, out of him.
Kwaaang!!
"I said I refuse, you bastard!! Are your ears blocked?!"
In an instant, he was returned straight into the car he had arrived in.
The dynamic method of boarding through the front windshield instead of the door made everyone's eyes go wide, but—
"Gentlemen, according to the pardon I received, I'm not guilty of anything I do until 23:59 today, right?"
—Since I happen to have some strength left, shall I use the rest of it on your bodies before I go?
In this world, the law was always damnably far, and fists were always damnably near. That was simply the way of it.
Before a renowned physician who had come prepared with the fastest-acting miracle cure for such insane talk.
The reporters, terrified without anyone needing to lift a finger, began to scatter in panic.
"...You're really going to attend university, right?"
Seeing the bleary eyes of the proper reporter staring at him with a slightly bitter expression.
Sigh...
"Ah, forget it. Let's not meet again over something like this, mister."
Kim Chomok let out a sigh and began trudging toward his room.
In order to catch public transportation as quickly as possible before rush hour.