CH 353

Those words served as the signal.

Crimson and dark aura suddenly gushed out of Kang Jin-Ho, then he pounced on Nomura Ryoji.

'Ah...!'

Ryoji wasn't sure why he reacted this way. People would usually try to dodge or block if someone changed at them. However, Ryoji just stood there like an idiot and watched this scene unfold.

The figure of Kang Jin-Ho, with that dark crimson aura whipping around him like a cape, was so unrealistic and bone-chillingly frightening that Ryoji was paralyzed to the spot like a statue.

Even Kang Jin-Ho's previously-expressionless face had transformed. His expression, now distorted hideously with madness and bloodthirst, even stopped Ryoji's heart from beating momentarily.

The figurative 'demons' existed in this world. As a denizen of the world hidden in the shadows, Nomura Ryoji had plenty of chances to encounter such demons. He even maintained a deep connection with some of them, too.

However, this bastard was different. Different from the others with the modifier 'Demon-like'. This Kang Jin-Ho bastard was fundamentally different from all of them.

Those demonic people pretended to be evil and used their 'evilness' as a way to threaten and to make their lives easier. But Kang Jin-Ho wasn't like that. He was dyed to his core with evil.

So much so that Ryoji felt a deathly chill run down his spine after remembering how 'normal' Kang Jin-Ho seemed only a moment ago!

They should've known ahead of time. They should've known that their supposed target was not human but a bona fide demon!

'It's too late now.'

Ryoji thought he now knew what his five subordinates were thinking as they died at Kang Jin-Ho's hands.

Regret. Lamentation. And perhaps, a little bit of relief...

Ryoji couldn't be the only one. He was referring to those who would be subjected to the same fate as him. Once Ryoji and his men were wiped out, his clan would dispatch his replacements to 'finish' the job.

Those already hiding in South Korea would also try to attack Kang Jin-Ho. And then...

'...They will all feel the same thing as us.'

They would become sacrifices to satiate Kang Jin-Ho's bloodlust. Like particles getting sucked into a black hole, they would disappear from this world. And this scenario would repeat itself until the higher-ups back in the mainland recognized the graveness of the situation.

'In that case, we might as well...!'

Unfortunately, there was something Nomura Ryoji wasn't aware of.

Kang Jin-Ho always tried his best to keep every promise he made. As such, he wouldn't suddenly go back on the promise he made only a moment ago. Regardless of what might happen, Ryoji was not destined to die a peaceful death.

Cruuuunch!

Ryoji thought that was the sound of bones breaking. He also thought that such a horrifying sound shouldn't be produced regardless of which body part was injured. However, his thought had to change after he saw the 'object' held in Kang Jin-Ho's grip.

That was a shockingly bizarre sight to behold. Kang Jin-Ho's fingers resembled sharp hooks, and in his grip was something familiar and, at the same time, foreign to Nomura Ryoji.

Despite the darkness of the night, that object's crimson hue remained vivid in his view. The object, with dark-red blood spurting out, was literally a chunk of meat.

That was when Ryoji realized that the thing in Kang Jin-Ho's grip was his flesh. Ryoji's jaw fell in shock as extreme pain slammed into his brain. Unfortunately for him, Kang Jin-Ho wasn't satisfied with only that.

Kang Jin-Ho threw away the piece of the human body in his hand like garbage and charged at Ryoji again. A child-like grin was etched on his face as if he was dying of sheer amusement.

At this point, Nomura Ryoji didn't even feel terror. It was as if his emotions had been paralyzed. Ryoji could only dazedly stare at Kang Jin-Ho's approaching figure as this weird disharmony settled in his mind. It felt like he was suffering from a cold, and a barrier had to be put up between him and the rest of the world.

The reactions didn't come from him but from the people behind him.

“Uwaaaaaaahk!”

Rather than a determined yell, that sounded more like a scream to Ryoji's ears.

Like the mischief of cornered rats charging forward to bite and gnaw at the cat, Ryoji's subordinates rushed at Kang Jin-Ho.

'No, don't...!'

Ryoji wanted to stop them. He wanted to shout at them to back off. Everyone present knew what would happen after pointing swords and charging at this demonic bastard. However, no words came out of Ryoji's mouth.

BOOM!

Suzuki, at the head of the charging pack, was flung backward like a cannon shell as a noise akin to a thunderclap went off.

The sight of Suzuki flying away as a fountain of blood gushed out of him etched vividly into Nomura Ryoji's soul. Others also couldn't avoid meeting similar fates as Suzuki.

'...Did I seriously think sacrificing half of us could kill that monster?'

That turned out to be a laughable notion.

Turning that monster into an enemy was the clan's fatal mistake. Kang Jin-Ho wasn't someone at Ryoji's level could handle. No, the strongest, wisest elites of the clan would have to step up if they were serious about killing Kang Jin-Ho.

The situation was resolved in the proverbial blink of an eye. Ryoji's confused and dazed mind finally gained some clarity, but that only caused the extreme pain and the cruel reality to crash mercilessly into him.

Ryoji could see that none of his men was left standing.

“...!”

Now left speechless, Ryoji dumbfoundedly stared at Kang Jin-Ho. Only three places in Kang Jin-Ho's body weren't covered in crimson blood: the pair of his eyes that seemed particularly white, and his lips, parted wide in unadulterated joy, with his pearly-white teeth flashing brightly.

'You... You beast...!'

No, that wasn't quite right. Kang Jin-Ho was no beast. No animal in this world would make the face Kang Jin-Ho was making right now after slaughtering their own kin. Indeed, animals wouldn't kill people for fun like this grinning devil in front of Ryoji's eyes.

Kang Jin-Ho silently walked up to Ryoji. He got close enough for his breath to tickle Ryoji's skin, then stared at the Japanese man while an unreadable smile was plastered on his lips. A little while later, he broke this eerie silence. “You look aggrieved and unhappy by something.”

“...”

“However, I've seen that face plenty of times before,” Kang Jin-Ho muttered as his expression grew a little bored. “This always happens. Bastards charging at me to kill me suddenly start to look at me in horror as if I'm a devil after the table turns on them. They conveniently forget that if I'm not like this, I'd be the one on the ground with blood spurting out of my wounds instead.”

Nomura Ryoji's expression distorted. Before he could say something, though...

“I don't want to hear your excuses.” Kang Jin-Ho curtly cut Ryoji off. “And no need to feel ashamed, either. Most people are the same. They all feel angry when their prey refuses to die obediently. Some level of resistance can make the hunt interesting, but when the hunters are harmed in some way, they would suddenly get furious.”

As Kang Jin-Ho spoke, his fangs were bared once more.

“That's what makes humans such amusing creatures. They all say they are prepared to die, but when death comes for them, they can hardly believe it. So, let me ask you. Are you... prepared to believe in your death?”

“You bastard... You will regret... this.”

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“Hmm…” Kang Jin-Ho's interest seemed to have piqued a little at Ryoji's response.

“You... You did something you shouldn't have... I... I am merely a small fry. Soon, they will come to deal with you. And then, you... You will regret today while being trapped in a body neither living nor dead!”

Kang Jin-Ho slowly nodded. “You know, I'm getting curious about something..”

“...What?”

“Curious about who would regret more between you and me. Didn't I tell you? I said you will bitterly regret not begging me to let you go.”

Ryoji's brows shot up.

“What about your subordinates? Are they regretting it now, I wonder?”

Ryoji hurriedly spun his head around at Kang Jin-Ho's words.

'They... They are still alive!'

Despite their wretched appearances, Ryoji's subordinates were still writhing and wriggling a little on the ground. In other words, they were not dead yet.

However, that knowledge didn't give Ryoji any solace. No, the despair in his heart grew only larger instead. Someone injured that badly wouldn't survive in the end, that was why.

If left untreated on this deserted mountainside, the victims would only suffer for a long time before breathing their last. And they would have no choice but to experience the slow creeping death.

Who would wish for such a death? No one, that was who.

But then, Kang Jin-Ho narrowed his eyes and muttered again. “Let me promise you another thing.”

His fangs bared in the darkness once more.

“You won't enjoy a peaceful death like them.”

As his joints issued cracking noises, Kang Jin-Ho leisurely closed the final distance separating him and Nomura Ryoji.

***

While watching Kang Jin-Ho walk back, Bang Jin-Hun's mind was occupied by several thoughts.

'Was there a need to be that cruel and vicious?'

It was true that the Japanese came after him first. However, Kang Jin-Ho possessed enough strength to defeat them without breaking a sweat.

Considering Kang Jin-Ho's personality, not killing those targeting his life and sending them packing was an unrealistic expectation. Even then, torturing them to such a degree and leaving them to die in the middle of nowhere like this was going a bit too far in Bang Jin-Hun's opinion.

'And also... Please!'

Since Kang Jin-Ho possessed enough skills, Bang Jin-Hun would've dearly loved it if he could at least think about dodging the blood splatters. Just the mere idea of giving the blood-soaked Kang Jin-Ho a ride was giving Bang Jin-Hun a migraine.

What if they were stopped by cops on their way? They would have no choice but to spend the night in a police holding cell.

Clomp, clomp...

Kang Jin-Ho wordlessly walked up to Bang Jin-Hun. Even though Bang Jin-Hun was confident about not being seen as an 'enemy' by Kang Jin-Ho after sharing quite a few experiences together, the current visual still made him wish he could flee from this place.

Kang Jin-Ho muttered disinterestedly. “It'd be nice if there's a place nearby to wash myself.”

“...You want to wash that off?” Bang Jin-Hun muttered in disbelief. Even the best laundromat would shake their heads and refuse this particular pile of laundry. Washing blood off clothes was unimaginably difficult, so this was a bit... A bucket load of chemicals would have to be dumped on the laundry to get all the stains off! “Mister Jin-Ho, I'm talking from experience here. You ain't getting that out of your clothes. It's better to throw them away.”

“My clothes are one thing, but I still need to wash up.”

“Urgh…” Bang Jin-Hun groaned again.

If they could stop by a public bathhouse, that would be great. However, entering a bathhouse while looking like that would instantly summon a crack team of detectives to the scene.

“...For now, let's stay put and find a way for you to wash up. And you should definitely take those clothes off. If you wait for a bit, I'll source suitable clothes for you.”

“No, not necessary.” Kang Jin-Ho pointed to a nearby corpse. “I'll just source them myself.”

“...” Bang Jin-Hun's eyes followed Kang Jin-Ho's pointing finger and stared. That corpse belonged to tonight's first victim.

'Hang on a minute... Did Mister Jin-Ho kill that guy first, knowing this might happen?'

The first victim died a comparatively less-messy death, so he might not feel too aggrieved by the fact that his murderer was taking his clothes away. However, Bang Jin-Hun still didn't feel all that good about wearing a dead man's clothes.

“Uh-whew…” Bang Jin-Hun helplessly shook his head. “Since we aren't far from our destination, let me call the boys and tell them to bring a set of new clothes. I'll also tell them to bring a few bottles of clean water. You can wash up afterward.”

“Sure. I'll leave it to you.”

“Hmm, do you want me to prepare casual clothes?”

“Mm…” Kang Jin-Ho scratched his cheek. “I'm meeting them for the first time, so going there in tracksuits might not be such a great idea…”

“Eh? I'm sorry?”

When Bang Jin-Hun asked back in confusion, Kang Jin-Ho began tilting his head in his own confusion. “Weren't we heading to the Martial Assembly?”

That was true. That was why they had come this far. However...

'Wait a minute. You left twenty people in that wretched state and took a dunk in a bloodbath, yet you... You still want to carry on as if nothing's happened?'

In times like this, Bang Jin-Hun was seriously tempted to dissect Kang Jin-Ho's head and see what was cooking inside.

“...I'll tell them to bring a set of formal wear, Mister Jin-Ho.”

“Please do that.”

“Oh, and…” Bang Jin-Hun sneakily pointed behind. “I'm thinking this place needs to be cleaned up as well, so... What do you want me to do here? If I'm being honest, killing them now would be the merciful thing to do.”

“It'll be over in around two hours, so it's fine.”

“Eh?”

“Tell your men to be on standby and clean up the scene once it’s over.”

“...Oh.” Bang Jin-Hun sighed under his breath. He never thought that one day, he'd pity the enemies trying to take his life.

'You know, this side of him might end up becoming a hurdle that trips Mister Jin-Ho up one day...'

It seemed 'mercy' was a word that didn't exist in Kang Jin-Ho's vocabulary.