Chapter 331: Accident (1)

Chapter 331: Accident (1)

“What just happened to us?” Choi Yeon-Ha asked in a trembling voice, having finally broken free of her previous panicked state. Considering her personality, she should be losing her mind to anger and screaming blue murder right now, but Choi Yeon-Ha didn't do any of that.

Actually, she looked genuinely frightened, which didn't suit the image she had built up until now.

'Then again, it is obvious that she would be, isn't it?'

This kind of incident was just another day in Kang Jin-Ho's life, but Choi Yeon-Ha had probably never experienced anything like it before. A civilian wouldn't be able to keep calm when facing a threat like that.

Kang Jin-Ho coolly replied, “It's nothing to worry about.”

“But, those people...” Choi Yeon-Ha suddenly stopped there.

Kang Jin-Ho liked this part about Choi Yeon-Ha. Even as a civilian with zero cultivation, she must've sensed something suspicious about those martial artists. Tonight would've been her first time being subjected to killing intent, after all. And from many scary-looking men at the same time, no less.

However, she chose to hold her tongue in the end since she hadn't experienced anything else. Choi Yeon-Ha understood that whining and raising a fuss over something vague and uncertain would only give birth to unnecessary conflict.

Her conversation partner would've said something if he thought it was necessary. If he was planning to tell her later, then all Choi Yeon-Ha had to do was wait. If he wasn't, then well... No matter what she said, Kang Jin-Ho wouldn't tell her the truth anyway. Choi Yeon-Ha wasn't a dummy, so she knew that frustrating fact all too well.

Fwhooooooosh-!

Kang Jin-Ho continued to pedal away on his Golden Elephant.

'Now isn't the right time.'

If Kang Jin-Ho had been alone, he'd not choose to withdraw. He could have simply swept the assailants aside, and that would be the end. However, the story would change with Choi Yeon-Ha in tow.

There was no guarantee that this new group of Yeongnam assailants didn't carry firearms. If that many people started firing indiscriminately again, Kang Jin-Ho would find protecting Choi Yeon-Ha from all the bullets rather a tall order.

'So, this is the difference between the modern era and Zhongyuan...'

Even back in the past, martial artists found dealing with well-armed soldiers a cumbersome affair. If ten thousand soldiers fired one arrow each, it'd translate into ten thousand arrows flying toward their target.

Ten thousand might not sound like a lot, but that many arrows could completely blanket the skies. Such a sight would be hard to imagine for those who had never witnessed it.

The top experts would have found a way, but those martial artists that hadn't reached a certain realm yet had no methods of defending against so many arrows blanketing the heavens. This was why the government never truly lost its ability to control and restrict Murim.

In the modern era, however, a single rifleman could do as much damage as a hundred archers. A martial artist hoping to protect a cultivation-less civilian from a hail of gunfire coming from everywhere would have to simultaneously defend every angle and direction.

The current Kang Jin-Ho had no trouble doing so... for himself. But even he couldn't guarantee a flawless job when Choi Yeon-Ha was included in the territory to be defended.

To make matters worse...

'If only I were carrying my Crimson Destiny...'

The modern era wasn't friendly toward Kang Jin-Ho's needs. Lugging around the Crimson Destiny all the time in the current era was next to impossible. Owning a sword in this day and age wasn't difficult as long as one had the permit issued by the government, but carrying around a sword with an actual deadly blade edge would stir up a huge problem. The odds of that happening were way too high for Kang Jin-Ho's liking. And that was one of the reasons why Kang Jin-Ho chose to flee for now.

It wasn't as if Kang Jin-Ho cared about his pride while running away. Those brain-dead 'No Retreat, No Surrender!' types might boast a strong, unyielding mindset, but that would also lead them to a strong, unyielding death.

Even before Kang Jin-Ho threw his lot in with the demon cult, he was branded gangho's number one enemy. Getting chased around by the righteous sect bastards was an almost daily occurrence to him back then. If he blindly chose to fight every single one of his pursuers, Kang Jin-Ho's second stab at life would have lasted maybe two decades at most.

So, choosing to flee left him with no regrets. It was just that...

Grit.

Kang Jin-Ho quietly gritted his teeth. Running away after encountering an opponent he couldn't win against, and running away because the situation didn't give him much choice despite his opponents being easy... These two felt quite different, no matter how he wanted to dress them up. Back in Zhongyuan, Kang Jin-Ho would never show his back and flee just because someone else might get in his way during the battle. That was what he was like, but now...!

Kang Jin-Ho gritted his teeth as this boiling feeling welled up from deep within his chest.

“W-what's wrong, Mister Jin-Ho?” Choi Yeon-Ha cautiously asked him, seemingly indicating that she heard his teeth gritting just now.

Her voice sucked out all the coiled strength from Kang Jin-Ho's tense shoulders.

'No, that's not it.'

Kang Jin-Ho briefly shook his head. He wasn't fleeing because Choi Yeon-Ha might get in his way. No, he had to run because he wasn't strong enough to protect Choi Yeon-Ha while fighting the assailants. That was all.

If he was still Heavenly Crimson Demon Emperor, why would he show his back to his enemies and flee? Whether Heavenly Crimson Demon Emperor would fight while protecting Choi Yeon-Ha was beside the point, but still!

'Before blaming someone else, blame my shortcomings first!'

“Okay, let's go,” said Choi Yeon-Ha.

Calling for a taxi was indeed not hard. However, leaving in a taxi meant Kang Jin-Ho would have to ride his bicycle alone. Since going back the way they came from was out of the question, he would have to take a longer route back home, and Choi Yeon-Ha realized she couldn't bear to see that.

It might be seen as a nuisance to keep riding on the back of his bicycle, but Kang Jin-Ho insisted on it, so the correct thing was to accompany him the rest of the way.

“H-however, please take your time and go slowly! I almost had an accident in my trousers, you know!”

“...Got it. Slowly it is.” Kang Jin-Ho nodded, thinking he also didn't want that kind of crisis happening right behind him.

After confirming that Choi Yeon-Ha was secure in the back saddle, Kang Jin-Ho carefully stepped on the Golden Elephant's pedals. Even though he was extra cautious, the bicycle still shot forward like a bullet.

Trying to maintain a speed that wouldn't frighten Choi Yeon-Ha turned out to be tougher than he thought.

Choi Yeon-Ha cautiously called out to him. “...Mister Jin-Ho?”

“Yes?”

“Something... feels off today.”

“Are you talking about me?”

“Yes,” Choi Yeon-Ha whispered, then slowly nodded. “Normally, you... You don't come across this way, but today, you feel distant. So much so that I'm wondering if you're really Kang Jin-Ho that I know.”

Kang Jin-Ho didn't say anything. Maybe, she might have noticed it. Well, Choi Yeon-Ha was a top actress, wasn't she? She might have realized that the facade of 'regular' Kang Jin-Ho was only possible because he had vigorously suppressed so many facets of himself first.

“There's no need to be alarmed. I'm not any different, actually.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really.”

“I see. Then, it's fine.” Choi Yeon-Ha cautiously leaned her head against Kang Jin-Ho's back. “I... Let me borrow your back for a little while. I'm just a little rattled and listless, you see?”

Kang Jin-Ho didn't try to stop her or push her back. Even if he was a dullard, he could tell that a powerless civilian like Choi Yeon-Ha would have a hard time processing what happened tonight.

'I need to be more cautious.'

If the Yeongnam Group was prepared to cross lines regularly like this, it'd pose a significant hurdle to Kang Jin-Ho's everyday life. The people around him would surely get caught up if the Yeongnam Group charged at him without any regard for collateral damage.

'Maybe I should just...!'

Kang Jin-Ho's eyes became withdrawn once more. Getting one-sidedly attacked and responding after the fact wasn't really his style. No, his preferred method was usually about nipping the trouble in the buds before it could affect him.

While thinking about contacting Bang Jin-Hun as soon as he safely got Choi Yeon-Ha home, Kang Jin-Ho quietly pedaled away on his Golden Elephant.

Choi Yeon-Ha whispered another question. "Is it okay to travel on a street meant for cars?"

“Well, there are no other cars, so it should be fine.”

“But, it might get dangerous, you know?”

“...Understood. Only until we pass that area, then.”

Choi Yeon-Ha raised her head to look ahead. She could see a tunnel lit in orange light ahead of the street they were traveling on. “Ah, I see what you mean.”

The tunnel did have sidewalks on either side, but they were too narrow. If someone happened to be coming the other way, Kang Jin-Ho would have to pick up the bicycle and carry it above his head.

He chuckled slightly. “We'll pass through the tunnel in no time at all, so don't be too nervous.”

“Okay.”

Kang Jin-Ho shook his head to get rid of all the complicated, distracting thoughts.

'For now... I'll talk to Bang Jin-Hun first and then decide.'

He wouldn't have minded charging straight into the Yeongnam Group's HQ and slaughtering every single annoying fly hiding in there, but the aftermath would be too much of a headache to deal with.

So, for now...

Kang Jin-Ho flinched, and his eyes shot open wide suddenly. He hurriedly looked up, and right at that moment...!

KA-BOOOOOOOM!