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With Celeste’s words, the meeting started as usual. And one after another, the usual flood of information poured into my ears.

Of course, it was interesting, as always, but there wasn’t much helpful information. It was somewhat amusing to hear that there was a new hero perched at the top of the Eiffel Tower in France, guarding the city from above. However, that hero was among the strongest of the new generation of heroes, so a serious warning was given not to engage in any acts of terrorism in Paris.

As for me, I stayed relatively quiet this time and passed on. After all, the real deal would come next time.

So, what I was more focused on was the Chinese villain among them.

“…..”

A man wearing distinctive red Chinese-style clothing, his hair pushed back – Li Xiaofeng.

He was a rather unique villain. While he shared the same desire to destroy the government with Katana, the difference was that while Katana had a clear goal to dismantle the corrupt government and make Japan powerful again… While Xiaofeng seemed to destroy the government since it was twisted.

‘Well… I can’t imagine how many Chinese superpower holders are fond of their government.’

China had a strict approach towards superpower holders. Namely, any superpower holder with a special power must enlist with the government, becoming a part of the Chinese metahuman corps. This was a major distinguishing feature from other countries that usually left superpower holders free to live as they pleased as heroes or engage in normal life.

If superpower holders chose to conceal their powers, they would inevitably face penalties, including military conscription.

‘Perhaps that’s why the authority of their Association is quite low.’

South Korea had been a place where the Association and the government mutually restrained each other.

In Japan, the Association and the government had been cooperating to commit corruption.

In contrast, China’s government had fully absorbed the Association.

‘And the fact that they’ve even had the president appointed by the Premier… is speechless, I mean.’

Naturally, the relationship between the International Hero Association and China was far from ideal. However, with the recent weakening of the Association due to several acts of terrorism, the situation had escalated.

Of course, as oppression grows, so does resistance, and that applies to villains as well. The large number of metahuman villains in the country reflects that. Fortunately, a neighboring nation to the north acted as a defensive barrier for South Korea.

Anyway, Li Xiaofeng, the leader of Huolong, a notably strong organization even among the numerous Chinese villain organizations, was unique. Their influence was so significant that even the formidable Chinese government had to take notice of the Villains’ Union.

However, this wasn’t the most important part.

I started to think about the original Li Xiaofeng.

‘In the original work…’

Li Xiaofeng was an incredibly optimized individual for becoming a villain. Notably, he was an orphan from the start. Typically, when someone becomes a villain, their family is targeted by the government. But Xiaofeng was an orphan from the beginning, and there was no family or an orphanage for that matter.

Of course, there was a part of the story where he befriended a superpower holder, his close friend and his friend was killed by the government. That pushed Xiaofeng to seek revenge on the government. A rather predictable story.

‘The conclusion is…’

In the end, Li Xiaofeng emerges as the ultimate victor. He basically overthrew the government and established their new regime. Admittedly, the later part of the original work is a mess, with the central government collapsing and everyone turning into bandits. But victory is victory.

So, what should I do? It’s simple. I should recruit this villain to our side.

‘…First, let’s think again about Li Xiaofeng’s personality.’

In the original work, he pursued a grand goal, a personality filled with righteousness and cooperation. He aspired to be a man who stands for justice. His villain organization, “Hualong,” operated based on these principles. The reason he could create such a large alliance of villains was due to his ability to summon the Red Eastern Dragon. It’s pretty awesome. Thanks to this, he is highly popular among villains.

Anyway, the conclusion is that he’s not the type to ignore his debts. You decide to pursue righteousness and cooperation, but you get help and turn a blind eye? It’s the path of justice you’ve chosen… Hang in there…!

While I was diligently running simulations in my brain, Celeste, with a tired expression, concluded the meeting.

…But why does Celeste look tired? I don’t understand. Maybe there’s some issue, but it’s not about worrying over top-ranked villains. It’s probably not a big deal. Right now, I’m the bigger problem.

With these thoughts in mind, I focused my gaze on Li Xiaofeng.

He was conversing with the men sitting on either side of him. They were probably his close aides.

“Then, I will conclude here.”

The meeting came to an end with those words from a visibly fatigued Celeste.

…However, I don’t know why Celeste looks tired. It’s probably not related to worrying about top-class villains. It’s not a significant problem. I am the bigger issue now.

I thought while fixing my gaze on Li Xiaofeng.

After conversing with the men on his side, he stood up and said to them.

“I’ll get going”

I replied to the two people sitting beside me with a nod. They didn’t seem too surprised, probably because I’d already informed them that I would be engaging in conversations and greetings.

I headed towards Li Xiaofeng with confidence.

“….Hmm?”

While walking towards me with an intrigued expression, he noticed my presence. He was walking away from the corridor, seemingly his point of departure, but he abruptly turned his head towards me. Then, his attendants, who noticed my presence, began whispering and nodding in my direction.

Seeing this, I smiled and casually extended my hand while speaking.

Anyway, through various means and with his own ability, he eventually founded a Villain Union and grew into a powerful figure.

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Li Xiaofeng. I’ve been wanting to greet you for a while, considering that we operate in neighboring countries. My name is Egostic.”

I reached my hand out as I spoke casually. I had one simple reason for doing this: to see how he would react. When I first greeted Katana, she ignored me and walked away, claiming to be busy. I wonder how Li Xiaofeng would respond.

Much to my surprise, Li Xiaofeng, who had been wearing a serious expression, smiled, shook my hand, and replied.

“Egostic, is it? Nice to meet you. I’m indeed Li Xiaofeng. I should have greeted you sooner, it seems I’m a bit late, haha!”

A warm smile and a handshake that felt ordinary, without a hint of tension. He appeared unexpectedly friendly. Had he researched me beforehand?

With this kind of response, there was no need to resort to Plan B; I could confidently proceed with Plan A. With a smile still on my face, I continued the conversation.

“Oh, no, I’ve often heard about Mr. Li through the media, and I know you’re quite busy running the Hualong organization. That’s why I wanted to greet you. Better late than never, haha.”

“No, not at all. Haha.”

We exchanged polite small talk, with friendly smiles, for a brief moment—just like a conversation between two men who had met in a business setting for the first time.

During that short time, I managed to gather some information about Li Xiaofeng. It seemed he had a good deal of knowledge about me. That kind of reaction couldn’t be without reason. Perhaps the information revealed during the Katana incident played a role, or he conducted his own investigation, or maybe a combination of both.

In any case, things had become much easier.

With a wry smile in my thoughts, I maintained my bright smile and continued the conversation. Soon, we wrapped up the brief exchange.

“Haha, this is my direct contact number. If you ever need anything, feel free to reach out.”

He handed me his number first, and I reciprocated by giving him mine.

There was no better opportunity than this.

“Yes, haha. I’m in a great mood because I feel like I’ve made a good friend this time. Oh, and…”

Just before we parted ways, with a seemingly natural smile on my face, I took out the CD hidden in my backpack and handed it to him.

“Though it’s small, this is a token of my goodwill. I’ve included some information I know about the Chinese government. Please make good use of it.”

“Oh, what’s all this? Haha! Thank you.”

He accepted it naturally without asking further questions. After exchanging our final pleasantries, we turned and went our separate ways. The last image I saw was him walking away with his entourage while carrying the CD.

And I returned to where Atlas and Katana would be waiting. Haha.

‘…He played his part perfectly, just as expected.’

I thought to myself, a smile playing on my lips.

Li Xiaofeng. Based on what I saw just now, he appeared quite warm, almost resembling Atlas in demeanor. But that was just what was presented on the surface. Through the original work, I knew better.

‘…Li Xiaofeng.’

Honestly, he was more calculated and ruthless than anyone. Starting from a street orphan, he climbed his way to the top of China’s largest villain organization. He became the leader of a massive criminal syndicate, showing excellent strategic thinking and keen investigative skills. Even the appearance he showed to the public was an act—a charming and friendly façade.

Nevertheless, he had taken the CD from me. Even if it seemed a bit outdated, he would manage it himself, I suppose.

‘…Given his calculated nature, he’ll never genuinely thank me, but…’

Because of the concept he had created for himself, the role of “the gallant guardian of righteousness,” he would have to act in my favor to repay his debt. So, I delivered my move, whether he liked it or not.

‘No matter what your intention is… you’ll be bound to me.’

With a wry smile, I thought to myself.

***

At the headquarters of Hualong, the largest villain organization in China.

Hualong Castle.

Li Xiaofeng, the leader of the organization, sat quietly on the top floor with the distinctive red roofs, lost in thought.

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Li Xiaofeng. I’ve been wanting to greet you for a while, considering that we operate in neighboring countries. My name is Egostic.”

“Egostic, huh…”

Li Xiaofeng’s expression from earlier, with the trace of a smile, was now completely gone. Instead, he had a solemn and icy look.

Li Xiaofeng. How could he not know Egostic? A villain who had essentially infiltrated the neighboring country’s peninsula.

“Hmm…”

In Li Xiaofeng’s eyes, Egostic was the ideal villain who could gain the support of the masses and overthrow the country. In his estimation, South Korea was practically under Egostic’s control.

Furthermore, Egostic had access to top-secret information about the time traveler from the United States and provided information about dimensions. These signs indicated that Egostic was an extraordinary individual. Li Xiaofeng had thought about approaching him soon if Egostic didn’t reach out first.

But that was beside the point.

“…”

What was the CD-ROM that Egostic had given him?

“Is it done?”

“Yes, sir!”

“Then, go ahead.”

“Sure!”

After the technician had completed the computer installation, he promptly left the room. Li Xiaofeng was in an opulent room adorned with red and golden decorations. He inserted the disc that Egostic had given him into an old-fashioned computer.

Shortly after, there was the sound of the computer whirring to life, and the files appeared on the monitor. Li Xiaofeng clicked through the files.

Several minutes later, he found himself laughing loudly.

“Hahaha! Well, well! So that’s what it is.”

The contents of the files were confidential documents from the Chinese government, or more accurately, it seemed as though every document from within the government was included as if he had raided a Chinese government data center. The sheer volume of information contained on this small disc was incredible.

All of this information was precisely what Li Xiaofeng needed to achieve his goal of bringing down the Chinese government.

He couldn’t fathom how all of this had been squeezed into such a small disc, especially considering the formidable security of the Chinese Intelligence Service.

“This… Yes, I have truly received a favor.”

He found himself laughing before wiping away the tears that had unknowingly welled up in his eyes. It didn’t matter if the gift was meant to become friends or something else entirely.

He genuinely felt grateful to Egostic.

‘If I’ve received a favor, I should repay it.’

Despite the suspicions of the world, Li Xiaofeng was truly concerned about honor and integrity.

“What… can I do?”

He muttered to himself

Even if at times he was falsely accused of pretending to be a hero for government propaganda, he had never been insincere about his values and the pursuit of honor and integrity. He had never acted against his true beliefs ever since his childhood when he used to read the Records of the Three Kingdoms*. *T/N: A Chinese history book that covers the end of the Han dynasty and the following Three Kingdoms period.

***

After parting ways with Atlas and Katana, I’m back at home.

‘I wonder if Xiaofeng has seen it by now?’

I leaned back in my chair, pondering this.

If his character, which was calculated and pragmatic, held true, he would appreciate the gift. However, I wondered how he would think about repaying it. Who would ever threaten someone to act like a hero?

‘Well, I know it was all an act, through the original story.’

He had already appeared casually in media scenes. His outward personality was all an act, and he was calculated and cool in reality.

So, I prepared more precisely. I ensured he couldn’t escape, whether that meant openly giving information about the Chinese government to the attendants or otherwise.

It was a strategy where I had made myself the bait. It was flawless.

“…Anyway, that’s all done now.”

Saying that to myself, I naturally entered the Stardus fan cafe.

I started to miss Stardus…