Chapter 297: Snatching Away (2)

Chapter 297: Snatching Away (2)

"...This isn't a job fit for a human, now is it?"

The deeply-frowning Jo Gyu-Min stared at his silent phone, then mouthed another cigarette. The interior of his car was filled with so much cigarette smoke that passersby could mistakenly think that a fire had broken out inside.

Jo Gyu-Min rolled the window down a little to let the fresh air in, then alternated his anxious gaze between his phone's screen and outside the car.

“Couldn't he at least let me know if he was going to start it tonight?”

Of course, even Jo Gyu-Min understood that nothing would change even if he knew about it. Even so, he thought there was a major difference between doing something together and not even telling him about it.

Didn't Jo Gyu-Min go through all that hullabaloo earlier to get included? But for Kang Jin-Ho to leave him out and get the ball rolling like this! How was that fair?

“What's the point of complaining, though?”

Considering Kang Jin-Ho's easygoing nature, whining about this to him would ultimately be meaningless. Kang Jin-Ho would probably apologize with something like, 'I'll be more mindful next time,' then repeat the same thing again by leaving Jo Gyu-Min out.

That was what Kang Jin-Ho was like, after all! In that case, if Jo Gyu-Min was serious about earning his paycheck, then he shouldn't passively wait but actively monitor Kang Jin-Ho and think about how he would act. What a bizarre and scary thing it was, though; a subordinate actually had to keep his eyes on his superior just to do his job!

Jo Gyu-Min took a sip of his already-lukewarm cup of Americano, then frowned while staring at the distant building.

'...So, that building is teeming with people like them, huh?'

What a surprising thing it was if one thought about it. Martial artists were openly strutting around, yet so few people knew about it. How strange was that?

This was no different from people failing to notice extraterrestrial beings taking a stroll right next to them. No, maybe it was worse than that. It would be more like those ETs had constructed an apartment block and started living inside of it.

'Maybe... It's not the case of no one noticing it.'

It would be difficult to argue that the martial artists had successfully maintained their secrecy when the overall situation was like this. More than likely, those with power in the... 'mundane' society was already aware of the martial artists' existence.

'Right, even Chairman Hwang seemed like he knew something was up, didn't he?'

Jo Gyu-Min's thoughts deepened. Just how far did these people's influence extend? If each martial artist possessed strength rivaling Kang Jin-Ho, it wouldn't be shocking to learn that they had been controlling this country all along. However, the world wouldn't be in its current state—in a good or bad way—if people like Kang Jin-Ho were everywhere.

“...Now isn't the time to think about this.”

Jo Gyu-Min would learn about the outcome soon enough if he just waited for a while anyway. He lowered the seat back a little, then mouthed another cigarette. He had no choice if he wanted to chase away the drowsiness threatening to take over him.

"To think I'd be on night watch duty at my age..." Jo Gyu-Min groaned, then glanced at the distant building again. "Please quickly wrap things up so we can go home..."

It seemed Jo Gyu-Min wasn't worried in the least for Kang Jin-Ho's safety.

***

Watching a person's head tumble around on the floor had never been a pleasant thing to behold. Especially when that severed head belonged to a person one was talking to only a few moments ago.

Lee Jung-Geol felt inconsolable sorrow fill up his heart, even though the situation could be boiled down to something as simple as Takahira Shingo's height abruptly changing against his will...

'It's over...'

Lee Jung-Geol's sorrow stemmed from the instinctive realization that everything was over for him. Even though he had dedicated his entire life to the Korean Martial Assembly, nothing remained between him and Kang Jin-Ho now.

"So, is there anything else?" Kang Jin-Ho, seemingly not caring about Lee Jung-Geol's sentiments as he addressed the old man directly. "If you have anything else, bring them out. I'll get rid of all your regrets and attachments."

Lee Jung-Geol replied, his voice hoarse from the hollowness of his defeat, “No, I have nothing left. Nothing...” Fịndd new updates at novelhall.com

His voice also contained deep-seated scorn for himself.

Kang Jin-Ho stared at Lee Jung-Geol for a while before turning his head. “Hey. Come inside.”

...Even if they had to let it go first to truly possess that 'something.'

Kang Jin-Ho slowly shook his head. As it turned out, he didn't need to reach out to Lee Jung-Geol. He had already stopped looking at this old man as a fellow human being. Kang Jin-Ho said in a low voice, "The Assembly will now be in Bang Jin-Hun's hands."

“Now, listen here!”

"Shh!" Kang Jin-Ho placed his index finger over his lips to silence Lee Jung-Geol. "I didn't give you permission to speak."

“...!”

“The Assembly will be Bang Jin-Hun's. You're too old for this job.”

“Is being old so wrong?!” Lee Jung-Geol fitfully asked.

"Yes, it is..." Kang Jin-Ho slowly nodded. "To clarify, your body getting old isn't a sin. Your sin is your aged mind. Still, the aging mind itself isn't a sin. However..."

Kang Jin-Ho's glare grew a little sharper, a little colder. "Despite knowing your mind has aged, and you've started harming others because of it, pretending that nothing is wrong out of your selfish greed—that is your sin."

Lee Jung-Geol's expression suddenly paled, and his body started trembling powerfully as if he were being electrocuted. “B-but, I... I was merely...”

Unfortunately for him, Kang Jin-Ho was in no mood to humor his excuses. “I won't kill you since I don't see a reason for it. However, I'll pay you a visit again if you haven't sorted out your retirement by tomorrow. And if you are confident about stopping me, then well... Do whatever you want.”

Lee Jung-Geol could only chuckle hollowly at that threat. Confident about stopping Kang Jin-Ho? Obviously, he could never be.

“Make your decision,” said Kang Jin-Ho while sheathing both Crimson Destiny and Azuremourne. Afterward, without saying anything else, he turned around and walked through the exit.

Bang Jin-Hun's eyes burned even brighter as he watched Kang Jin-Ho coolly walk away after finishing his job.

'That looks pretty cool...'

Perhaps that was what Bang Jin-Hun had been ardently wishing for all these years—to look as cool as Kang Jin-Ho. However, at his age, acting like that was a bit cringey, so he couldn't bring himself to do that, either.

'Is it because Kang Jin-Ho is handsome?'

Why did this whole walking away thing look so cool when done by Kang Jin-Ho, but looked like a joke when done by Bang Jin-Hun? For a moment there, Bang Jin-Hun felt that something was quite unfair about this.

“Huh. Huhuhuh...” Lee Jung-Geol's hollow chuckle managed to drag Bang Jin-Hun back to reality. “Huhuhuhuh...”

Only a few moments had passed them by, but Lee Jung-Geol already resembled a deflated balloon. Even Bang Jin-Hun could tell that Lee Jung-Geol had lost all of his desires and motivations.

"...Assembly Master, sir," said Bang Jin-Hun. He suddenly felt a strong urge to remain appropriately courteous toward this weakened old man before his eyes until the end. "Sir, please let me take over the Assembly Master position."

“...”

"It should be done as a proper handover, sir. Calling it extortion or snatching away will make it sound rather—dreary, wouldn't you agree?"

“A proper handover, is it?” Lee Jung-Geol slowly nodded away. “Sure. Take it. Take everything...”

Lee Jung-Geol's voice lacked any semblance of energy or strength.

“If you need to take it, you should, fella. If you want my life, then take it, too...”

This was the moment when a once-brilliant martial artist who had once dominated South Korea lost his previous splendor. Bang Jin-Hun gnashed his teeth at this sight.

They had been fierce enemies until now, but Bang Jin-Hun had never wanted to see the Assembly Master in such a sorry sight. Putting aside Bang Jin-Hun's cause, for now, wasn't Lee Jung-Geol a worthy opponent until now? In that case, he deserved a worthy end fitting his station.

“Sir, what are you so sorrowful about?”

“...What is it that you want to say to me, Bang Jin-Hun?”

Bang Jin-Hun sighed bitterly. “Sir, do you really think this is an end of an era? That everything is over now?”

Lee Jung-Geol was puzzled by that question.

1. You cook fried chicken in oil, so I guess that’s the reference?