"That is a rather apt description, my lord," Wiggins chuckled softly. "A relationship where both parties are uncomfortable with each other's company... but still have no choice about working together. That just about sums up the relationship between the martial world and the political world."
"I see," Kang Jin-Ho smiled again, but it was unreadable this time.
If the relationship between the government and the Korean martial society was no different from the one between Murim and the imperial government back then... Kang Jin-Ho had a hunch that his old method would still work just fine.
In that case, there was no need to overthink things.
"Lee Hyeon-Su."
"Yes, sir."
"Compile a list of core members."
Lee Hyeon-Su cautiously asked, "When you say core members...?"
"Politicians we must buy off in order to ensure we get what we want. Narrow the list down as much as possible."
"Mm...!"
Lee Hyeon-Su couldn't reply right away. This task wouldn't be as straightforward as it sounded, after all.
The modern era's political power dynamics were a complicated web that bound many people together. Political power was not concentrated in one person like how it was with kings and queens in the past. Instead, many powerful people tried to keep each other in check.
Although this was a victory for the dictatorship-prevention system, it was also the source of Lee Hyeon-Su's migraine at the moment.
"Sir, that is... It won't be as easy as it sounds, so..."
"I'm not saying you should narrow the list down to one or two people. The list only needs to contain the names of the minimum-necessary people you think are vital to our cause."
"I see. I'll get it done right away, sir."
Kang Jin-Ho scanned the meeting attendees. "Let's wrap this discussion here, then. And move on to the real topic I wish to talk about."
Everyone grew a little tense when Kang Jin-Ho said "real topic." What could that be?
"The problem with the Japanese, plus the ones we're facing right now, made me think about something. And that is... The Martial Assembly still has not decided on its ultimate goal."
Bang Jin-Hun blinked his eyes in stupefaction. "Ultimate goal, sir?"
"Mm."
"But, uh, that's strange...? Assembly Master, isn't our goal to become stronger than ever before?"
"..." Kang Jin-Ho stared slightly slack-jawed at Bang Jin-Hun.
Unfortunately, the former Assembly Master didn't seem to get it and hurriedly looked around the room, his expression silently asking, Did I say something weird? Even more unfortunately for him, though, he didn't find anyone looking back at him in sympathy.
Bang Jin-Hun shrunk back timidly. "...It seems my stupid mouth has caused a scene again. My apologies. I'll shut the hell up now."
"...No need to go that far." Kang Jin-Ho grinned wryly. This exchange confirmed that there was indeed an issue here. "Yes, getting stronger is a given. However, we still haven't figured out why we're getting stronger."
"But, isn't that... Huh?" Bang Jin-Hun muttered weirdly, only to finally clamp his mouth shut.
His brain said there definitely was a good reason. However, he had trouble finding the right words to describe this reason. It was as unclear and distant as clouds floating in the distant skies.
"The legalization matter is a good demonstration of our issue," said Kang Jin-Ho while glancing at Lee Hyeon-Ju and Lee Hyeon-Su before fixing his gaze on the accounting department's boss. "If the Assembly getting stronger will provide a better life to its members, we must ensure the legalization process goes through, no matter what. We're turning jobless bums into proper salarymen, after all."
Lee Hyeon-Ju nodded affirmatively. "Yes, sir."
"However, if the reason is to fight off other countries' martial societies, going legit will only hinder us. As Lee Hyeon-Su said earlier, going public will only limit our options."
Lee Hyeon-Su hurriedly nodded. "Yes, sir. That's what I believe."
Neither side was wrong in this problem. All things had a reason for existing and their own justifications. Sitting among these people reminded Kang Jin-Ho of what Ju Yeong-Gi said earlier.
Didn't Ju Yeong-Gi imply that Kang Jin-Ho had an attitude problem? A problem of thinking that only the answer closest to what seemed perfect was right? While discounting everything else as wrong?
This situation helped Kang Jin-Ho figure out why his friend would say such a thing. In the past, he would have tried to find the "only" right answer to this situation. But now, he had grown enough as a human being to admit that both answers were right.
This problem boiled down to what they wanted to achieve. What did Kang Jin-Ho and the Martial Assembly want to pursue?
"In my opinion, the answer depends on what we are aiming to achieve here. However, we have never seriously considered this issue until now."
After escaping from the hospital, Kim Seok-Il seemingly vanished into thin air. So, hearing his name like this out of the blue? Lee Hyeon-Su wasn't ready for this surprise.
"S-sir? Did you really see Kim Seok-Il on that ship?"
Although Kang Jin-Ho wouldn't lie or make mistakes, Lee Hyeon-Su still wanted to make sure. That was how badly taken aback he was right now.
"Yeah, I did. Although, he was already a corpse by then."
"A... corpse? He was dead, sir?"
"Mm."
"A-are you sure it was Kim Seok-Il, sir?"
"Yeah, pretty sure."
Lee Hyeon-Su sagged back against his chair as if all tension in his body had disappeared.
What a futile and empty way to go. So, so futile, and, and...
"To think that Kim Seok-Il is dead..."
What a strange feeling this was. In Lee Hyeon-Su's view, his worst enemy was not someone like the Crimson King but Kim Seok-Il, a man who left the most visceral impression in his mind. An enemy's difficulty wasn't determined by how physically strong they were, after all.
If someone asked Lee Hyeon-Su who he thought was the absolute worst human being he knew, as well as the most dangerous, he'd unhesitantly answer, "Kim Seok-Il."
However, that man was now dead? While riding on a ship full of Japanese invaders aiming for South Korea?
'What was he doing on that ship in the first place?'
Despite asking himself that, Lee Hyeon-Su's instincts were already screaming the answer. This so-called expedition had Kim Seok-Il's handiwork written all over it.
"What was that insane f*cker doing on that ship?" Bang Jin-Hun asked in disbelief, demonstrating that he, too, couldn't understand it. That was how shocking Kim Seok-Il's presence on that ship was.
Kang Jin-Ho casually shrugged. "Hmm, who knows? He probably was scheming something. Besides, Lee Seong-Hwi was there, too."
"Wait, Lee Seong-Hwi was there?" Bang Jin-Hun's face crumpled in even more confusion.[1]
Why were Lee Seong-Hwi and Kim Seok-Il hanging out on that bloody ship?
'No, wait. When I think about it, that's not so surprising, is it?'
Enough breadcrumbs indicating that Kim Seok-Il had joined hands with Lee Seong-Hwi had been found until now, so Bang Jin-Hun didn't need long to accept that the two bastards were partners in crime. However, to think they were in Japan?
Not only that, but...
"...That motherf*cking traitor bastard!" Bang Jin-Hun suddenly swore loudly, his face flushed red. That was because he realized what those two men were probably doing. And, as a Korean, he could not forgive their choice at all. "That insane motherf*cker...! How dare he throw sh*t in the memories of his own master like this!"
Bang Jin-Hun hated Lee Jung-Geol's guts. If Kim Seok-Il was Lee Hyeon-Su's greatest enemy, one could say Lee Jung-Geol occupied the same type of role for Bang Jin-Hun. Even if he wanted to say something respectful for the former, now deceased, Assembly Master, he simply couldn't.
However, Lee Jung-Geol still didn't try to sell his own country out. Sure, he tried to rely on the fighting strength of the Japanese toward the end, but that was him resorting to desperate means to stop Kang Jin-Ho's rampage. He never willingly tried to sell his country and his fellow countrymen out.
Despite his willingness to badmouth Lee Jung-Geol, Bang Jin-Hun still wouldn't have called that sly fox a traitor. But to think Lee Jung-Geol's own disciple dared to sell out his mother nation!
Lee Hyeon-Ju's face was also pale from shock.
'Lee Seong-Hwi, you... Have you lost your mind?!'
That had to be it otherwise what that man did made no sense.
Even if the thoughts of vengeance had consumed him, there were still some things a person should not do. Didn't Lee Seong-Hwi understand what would have happened if the Japanese invaders conquered South Korea?
Wiggins noticed that the atmosphere in the room had fallen off a cliff and tilted his head in confusion. "I'm feeling a little lost here, everyone. Would any of you care to explain this situation to me?"
When Wiggins raised his hand and jokingly said that, others in the room groaned deeply. That unexpected reaction prompted Wiggins to quickly lower his hand and grimace a little.
"It, uh... seems like I've failed to read the room sufficiently enough."
For the first time since joining the Assembly, Wiggins was genuinely flustered.
1. This is from the raw. I didn't mix anything up. The author seems to have forgotten that Bang Jin-Hun was there during the initial stand-off between the MC's group and Nakata Yuji who was accompanied by Lee Seong-Hwi... ☜