Chapter 75 - David's Carelessness

"Like I said, the moment you set foot in the Underworld, then all the bad things that are there will become a complete package that you will receive like it or not."

David burned the tip of the cigarette that was sandwiched between his upper and lower lips. A gust of pleasure smoke billowed out of David's breath. "I already know that, after all I am not a child who was just born yesterday who has just set foot in the Underworld. Even I can match the achievements of my late adoptive father."

Henry joined in puffing nicotine fumes, inhaling a pipe made of wood and blowing the smoke into the air. Absolutely classic, perfect for an old man like Henry. "But do you know, there are still things that Hendrick Brasco who was once called the man who has it all, has yet to achieve."

"And what is that?"

Henry flipped his smoking pipe and jabbed it right into David's left chest. As if Henry wanted to pinpoint David's heart. "It is what you are trying to achieve right now, what you are fighting for."

"You mean revenge?"

"Of course not, stupid child. But a peaceful life with the one you love."

David laughed, making Henry smile. "It turns out that at your old age you can still be funny, old man. How could a Hendrick Brasco wish for such a weak thing like that?"

Henry had been smiling all along, because the old man could read what David was thinking from his attitude. "Tell you what. You said that you already stood on the same level as your adoptive father first, right?"

"Yeah, you could say that. Ever since people think of me as a conqueror of the Underworld."

"Then, do you have a dream to live quietly with the person you love?"

David fell silent. In his heart, he cursed himself. Was this the effect of the ginseng wine he had been drinking with Henry so much that he was slow to think like now? You damn wine.

But it tastes good.

Nevermind.

"Aren't you used to drinking liquor without a mixture like this? Or are you in a mental state of unstable condition?"

David returned to puffing smoke from his breath. "Lately I've been out of control. The last time I got out of control was when Ainsley, the girl I told you about the last time was killed by Catty, the woman who had a grudge against me before my own eyes."

"It seems difficult to be a handsome person, always surrounded by many women."

David smiled, "Looks like my good looks is a curse."

"Do you want to brag about how good your face is now?"

They both laugh. Looks like the effect of ginseng wine is really strong.

"So what do you think?"

Henry also puffed smoke from his breath. "Why do you ask me? What can an old man like me do? You are the one who can most determine what you will do in the future. From our conversation, I can see that you are no longer David who has the highest ego, now you has become a person who also cares about the people around you. And what distinguishes you the most from the old you is Angeline, your wife. I can see from your eyes, the way you look whenever you talk about her is completely different."

David frowned, "What's so different?"

"Of course. From your personality that always brings a chilling and intimidating air to anyone who is near you, when you talk about the girl you love, it is as if the eerie atmosphere that is very intimidating disappears instantly. Anyone who sees you or is near you can feel the air, which is so warm and so soothing. You really love that girl named Angeline more than yourself."

David leaned back on the back of his chair and stared at the ceiling of the old bar after sipping another glass of ginseng wine that was left a little in the bottle. "I'm also confused, why I could love that girl so deeply. As long as I live until now, I have never dated even once. But once I met Angeline, I never felt afraid of embarrassment or other disgusting things. I can be completely me if I'm around her. And somehow, I love everything about her, even though she's acting so annoying, I can never be angry with her even at the slightest."

Henry just smiled. David in his eyes was just a young man in love. However, from what David has been telling him until now, the way David loves the girl who has been the main topic of their conversation is completely different from most people.

Henry understood that David never liked anything too complicated. He said that if he made a mistake, he would definitely apologize to Angeline. But if Angeline made a mistake, if Angeline realized her mistake and apologized, David would forgive her too.

However, if Angeline makes a mistake and makes excuses for what she did wrong, David will be the one who apologizes even though he is not the one who is at fault.

In the end, it was David who apologized the most, even though he wasn't the one who made the mistake.

David says that he just doesn't want to fight for too long with the people he loves. Although that was wrong, Henry had no right to interfere in David's family matters. All Henry can do is fulfill his role one hundred percent as an old man, which is to give David advice about life based on his life experiences during the nearly seventy years of him living on earth.

"But something's been bothering me." Henry said, which made David stop looking at the ceiling of Henry's old bar and cast his eyes on Henry.

Henry continued, "You said that recently you met a group of people who have the same goals as you. And they call themselves Reus Coronam. As far as I know, in Latin, Reus Coronam means Crown of Sin."

"Then?" asked David, wondering why Henry brought up the topic they had already discussed a few minutes ago.

"And, what is the name of the leader of the group?"

"You mean Cederic? He's quite a reliable person. His thinking skills may exceed mine, but I won't lose if he challenges me head-to-head." David boasted, but that's not what Henry wanted to talk about.

"You said you met him at an old inn in the middle of the forest, and Catty, your enemy who you carried up to the inn suddenly disappeared when they appeared."

David was now really curious. "Then, do you want to say that they are suspicious? I have told you, that one of their comrades died for the sake of realizing my dream of revenge. And I saw the expressions on their faces at that time."

Hendry was smoking his wooden pipe. "Think about it again. You said Cederic was the mastermind behind all the strategies you used. Then, when Xiang was captured, why were you the only one who slaughtered everyone in the building, while Cederic's position was not far from you. Then, you said after you passed out because Steve gave you an anesthetic shot, you woke up on the private jet. They all said the excuse that they were also drugged and both woke up on the plane. Logically, you were the first to be injected by anesthetic, and you are the person who has the strongest endurance of them all. How can you were the last one who woke up? And before that too, when you were at the top of the giant wind ride in Dream Land, you said Cederic borrowed your favorite sniper rifle and shot Steve's right thigh. Why didn't he just shoot a vital part like his head? Such an opportunity won't come twice in your life, especially for those people who live in the Underworld. Don't you find it's a bit strange?"

David then leaned back against the head of the chair and puffed the nicotine fumes that had become his daily addiction to the air, closing his eyes and looking up at the old bar ceiling once again.

"Don't worry, old man. They are all no match for me. None of them can touch me."

Henry drank his ginseng wine. "I just remind you of the old line which says that the enemy in the blanket is more dangerous than the enemy in sight."

"I've never been in a blanket with them." David replied, but in the same style Henry used. "They are just pawns that I use to achieve my goal. Once my goal has been achieved, they are free to make choices about their own paths of life going forward. Of course, I will give a gift that amounts to literally make both their eyeballs fall apart each other's heads."

Henry became speechless. The old man was now worried about David's overconfidence.

In the Underworld, there is an unwritten rule that says that you will be crushed whenever you let your guard down, even if your carelessness is only as big as a grain of sand, because your opponent will definitely be aiming for that crucial moment.

Perhaps, David has been at the top for too long, all this time he is revered as the most feared and respected figure in the Underworld, so he forgets the struggle he did to reach the top.

But David's stubborn nature made Henry give up on reminding him. All this time, the thing that can make David aware is his own experience when he went directly to the battlefield.

Henry only hoped that David would not be left with the lack of alertness he was facing now. Because the longer he let his guard down, the more accustomed David would be to it. What Henry feared was that David would no longer be able to tell when he was off guard or not.

Henry finally chose to drink his favorite ginseng wine again. "Woaaahhh, it turns out to be true. This drink is the only one that won't disappoint this old man." said Henry in a tone full of joy, causing David to chuckle softly.

David only considers Henry as an old man who starts worrying about small things like other elderly people.

But still, hopefully the things Henry feared most don't actually happen.