CH 370

Fwhooosh!

'...Steel arrows?'

Short arrows, no longer than an adult's handspan, flew toward Kang Jin-Ho. Faint azure qi permeated each arrow.

What a logical attack this was. In an enclosed space, and not a wide-open one, there wouldn't be much room to dodge, so an attack like that should demonstrate its might more easily.

However, that only applied when the target was an ordinary person.

Clang, clang, clang!

Kang Jin-Ho wielded the Azuremourne and Crimson Destiny like streaks of lightning.

Even as short arrows flew in with enough momentum to blow away a mountain, Kang Jin-Ho didn't bother to dodge or retreat. He used his swords to deflect every single arrow with utmost ease, then dashed forward even faster, his fangs bared in a savage grin.

Bang! Boom! Booooom!

Every step Kang Jin-Ho took caused the floor to cave in, creating deep footprints in the process. His feet, permeating in a huge amount of qi, made the building quiver ominously.

The effect of his action was clear to see. One step propelled Kang Jin-Ho forward almost five meters. No naked eyes could catch up to Kang Jin-Ho's movement speed as he charged ahead.

“Huph?!”

Kang Jin-Ho charging forward at a speed exceeding one's imagination must've been too shocking to behold. Stunned gasps could be heard coming from all over the place.

Paaaaahng!

A martial artist holding several short arrows in his hands freaked out and hurriedly threw them when Kang Jin-Ho figuratively teleported himself in front of him.

Whoosh!

An arrow was thrown mere inches away from Kang Jin-Ho's face. He simply tilted his head to the side.

Snick!

A faint sonic boom slipped past Kang Jin-Ho, and his cheek was cut open at length. It was unknown what material the arrow was made of, but it was strong enough to slice open Kang Jin-Ho's skin with ease.

However, the price for such transgression was high. Kang Jin-Ho dodged the attack by tilting his head while not changing his stance, allowing him to slice the attacker's throat with Crimson Destiny.

“Kkuh-hurrrk!”

The attacker hurriedly grabbed at his throat as the noise of air deflating leaked out. Unfortunately, it was too late for him.

Kang Jin-Ho raised his foot and stomped on the attacker's knee.

Cruuuush!

His knee was twisted the wrong way as the horrifying noises of bones cracking resounded out. His eyes nearly popped out of their sockets from the unbearable pain.

Too bad, that wasn't the end of torture for him.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Three more kicks landed on him. The first kick crushed his pelvis. The second blew apart all of his internal organs. And the final kick crushed his right shoulder.

The man's jaw fell. The indescribable pain prevented him from screaming, although blood gushed out of his mouth with no problem.

Kang Jin-Ho looked into the man's eyes and smirked. “I praise you for managing to injure me. To reward you... I shall let you live.”

“Kkuuuuhk...?”

Tears pooled around the man's eyes. Letting him live? In this state? His knee was destroyed. His pelvis was crushed. And his internal organs were turned to mush. Even his airways were cut, making it so much harder to breathe.

The only reason why this man was still alive was that he was a martial artist. An ordinary person would've died already! But now...!

'You devil!'

Killing him was an act of mercy. That would've lessened his pain, after all. However, Kang Jin-Ho walked away from the injured man while a cruel, odious smirk was etched on his face.

The injured man prayed for his comrades to end his life, but they chose to chase after Kang Jin-Ho instead while making urgent expressions. They had practically abandoned their injured comrade behind in the dark corridor to chase after their own death.

While stuck in this pitch-black darkness, the injured man could only wait for death to come, however long that might take.

***

“Kuwaaaaaahk!”

“Aaaaaahk!”

Screams tended to echo and spread around. Especially inside an empty building; screams would spread even further for some reason.

Kim Seok-Il was being freshly reminded of this fact tonight.

When he heard the news of the Martial Assembly's invasion, Kim Seok-Il headed to the roof to analyze the situation. And he witnessed his subordinates getting brutally slaughtered by a lone man, Kang Jin-Ho. No, not man, but a devil!

That was when he instinctively realized his subordinates did not have the power to stop Kang Jin-Ho. Anyone could have realized that, though.

Even if one knew how strong Kang Jin-Ho was, they would still question if he could deal with thousands of Yeongnam Group martial artists by himself. But anyone who had witnessed that spectacle would immediately discard all notions of logical calculations and whatever and urgently look for an escape.

Kim Seok-Il was in a similar boat. After witnessing that incredible spectacle, he placed members of his personal guards in various spots of the building before holing himself in his office.

He figured he had about a fifty percent chance of survival. The team of exclusive bodyguards was raised and trained personally by Kim Seok-Il. Even he couldn't guarantee a ten-percent chance of victory against them in a one-on-one battle. If the fight was inside a building with dark and narrow corridors, that percentage should drop even further by around half.

So, Kim Seok-Il should be relieved. He should've been able to relax. However...!

“Kkuwaaaaaahk!”

The horrifying scream of a man spreading within the eerie silence had this power to have the heart of anyone listening tumble to the pit of their stomach. And what if the screams were getting closer and closer? Most ordinary people would've gone crazy already.

Kim Seok-Il's trembling hands desperately pulled out a packet of cigarettes. After dropping several cigarettes to the floor, he finally managed to mouth one and barely finished lighting it.

Maybe, this cigarette could...

“...Goddamn it!”

Kim Seok-Il worked hard to stop all the ominous imaginations trying to infiltrate his mind, then began looking back to his past.

Just... when did things start to go wrong? No matter how much he looked back, he couldn't tell. Without a doubt, something went wrong somewhere, but he just couldn't pinpoint it.

Failing to predict Lee Hyeon-Su's betrayal? Giving Lee Hyeon-Su too much authority? His plan of taking over the Martial Assembly going down the drain? If not, trying to fight the Assembly even though the preparations weren't perfect yet?

No, it was none of those.

If Kim Seok-Il was being honest... Then, he might be paying the price for failing to stay independent and accepting the financial support from the Chinese.

If that was also wrong, then maybe...

BOOM!!!

Kim Seok-Il nearly jumped up from his chair from the loud impact noise outside his office.

“Urgh...!”

That noise was definitely from the wall on the other side. Which meant...!

He was here. He was almost by the door! A God of Death named Kang Jin-Ho was creeping closer to Kim Seok-Il, and nothing could stop him!

Kim Seok-Il squeezed his eyes shut.

'I'm still the Master of the Yeongnam Group...!'

His fate was already sealed. In that case, the least he could do was not put on a pathetic display unbecoming of his position.

Creaaak...

The office door slowly opened. Kim Seok-Il bit his lower lip and glared at the opening doorway. When the door was opened wide, a 'pitch-black' figure of a man waltzed inside.

At first, Kim Seok-Il thought that 'thing' had to be a shadow. But he was wrong.

The blood on Kang Jin-Ho's body had dried to the point of stiffening like body paint clinging to him. That was why he looked that way.

'That's... rather metaphysical, isn't it?'

Different people would obviously hold differing images of the God of Death. However, Kim Seok-Il was certain that no one would imagine such a figure.

To call Kang Jin-Ho the personification of the God of Death, he looked too primal. Too violent. Not a trace of 'divinity' as hinted by the word 'god' could be felt from his current appearance.

He was more like the walking, talking amalgamation of primal savagery instead!

“Fuu-woo…” A quiet little exhale left the God of Death's lips.

However, that seemed to complete the picture perfectly. If one wanted to picture a grim reaper coming to drag people's souls away to the netherworld, Kang Jin-Ho would've wonderfully fit the bill.

His eyes burned in a distinct crimson hue. Those eyes, as bright as a pair of lamps in the darkness, landed on Kim Seo-Il. Then, bright-white teeth bared themselves in a wide smirk.

Only Kang Jin-Ho and no one else in the entire world would be capable of making others shudder in dread from nothing but a smirk.

“It's been a while, Kim Seok-Il.”

“...Indeed.” Kim Seok-Il slowly nodded at the greeting offered by the God of Death named Kang Jin-Ho. They were nominally acquaintances, after all.

“Hmm…” Kang Jin-Ho took out a packet of cigarettes from his pocket but frowned immediately afterward. All the cigarettes inside were soaked by the blood and could no longer be smoked.

“Want one?” Kim Seok-Il offered his own cigarette.

Kang Jin-Ho silently looked at the cigarette before accepting it. “Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Kang Jin-Ho mouthed the cigarette, then snapped his fingers to light it. He grabbed a seat opposite Kim Seok-Il and relaxedly leaned his back against the chair.

Kim Seok-Il watched the cigarette smoke lazily waft away from Kang Jin-Ho before asking a question. “Are they all dead?”

“The ones inside the building, sure.”

“What about the ones outside, then?”

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“Most of them are alive.”

Kim Seok-Il nodded. “I guess I should express my gratitude for letting them live.”

“No, thanks.” Kang Jin-Ho shook his head. “I'm not interested in empty gratitudes of someone who isn't even remotely thankful.”

“Kekeke. How sharp you are.” Kim Seok-Il leaned back and nodded in defeat.

Truth be told, whether his subordinates outside survived or not mattered little to him. He valued his life more than the combined lives of everyone outside, after all! That was how Kim Seok-Il was.

“Kang Jin-Ho, I wanted to ask you something. You don't mind it, do you?”

“No, you can ask.”

“...Just how was it possible to do what you did?”

Kang Jin-Ho silently stared at Kim Seok-Il.

Kim Seok-Il began talking in a barely-contained voice as if he was holding himself back. “This is the Yeongnam Group! Not just some random organization, but THE Yeongnam Group! So, how was it possible for you to do what you did?! Am I stuck in a nightmare? Is that it? Tell me, how was any of that even physically possible?!”

Eventually, Kim Seok-Il's loud voice became a desperate cry.

“How can an organization I spent my entire life creating fall to you in one night?! I would have an easier time accepting it if the Assembly helped you out! But that's not what happened here, is it?! How can Korea's strongest organization, the one and only Yeongnam Group, fail to stop you and suffer this humiliation?! How!”

Despite Kim Seok-Il's cry that verged on screaming, Kang Jin-Ho didn't bother to respond.

He puffed away for a little while longer before throwing a question in Kim Seok-Il's face. “Tell me, what can't you understand in this situation?”

“Are you trying to say what happened made sense?!”

Kang Jin-Ho faintly smirked after noticing the incredulous look on Kim Seok-Il's face. “I'm the one having a tough time trying to understand you, Kim Seok-Il.”

“...Say what?”

“Why are you so proud of the Yeongnam Group as if it's an amazing place or something?”

“...?!” Kim Seok-Il became speechless, dazed.

Kang Jin-Ho continued to speak. “The reason for your defeat is simple. You were weak while I'm strong.”

That was when despondency, followed by emptiness, washed over Kim Seok-Il.

Kang Jin-Ho was right. What other reasons could there possibly be? Sure, other excuses could be thought up, but they were all meaningless. At the end of the day, there could be only one reason.

Kang Jin-Ho was simply stronger than the entirety of the Yeongnam Group combined. That was the sole reason.

“How... Just how did it become like this?” Kim Seok-Il muttered weakly. It sounded as if his soul had already abandoned him. “Where did everything go wrong?”

“I hope you're not asking me that because you don't know.” Kang Jin-Ho stubbed the cigarette with his shoe, then slowly got up. “You already know, don't you?”

The sneer on Kang Jin-Ho's face sent waves of sorrow into Kim Seok-Il's heart.

This goddamn returner named Kang Jin-Ho had taken everything away. He took the Yeongnam Group away. He took Kim Seok-Il's pride in growing the Yeongnam Group to its current scale. And now, he was about to take Kim Seok-Il's life, too!

“You shouldn't have come after me.” Kang Jin-Ho walked around the desk and grabbed Kim Seok-Il by the throat.

Kim Seok-Il's eyes shot open wide from the impact akin to heavy machinery tightening around his neck.

Kang Jin-Ho cleanly lifted Kim Seok-Il off the chair, then brought his face closer to the soon-to-be-former leader of the Yeongnam Group.

“Your fate was sealed the moment you decided to come after me.”

Finally... Kim Seok-Il felt that all of his questions finally found their answers. All the answers, all the reasons... They were crystal clear and concise.

And the one possessing all the answers bared his fangs and growled menacingly at Kim Seok-Il.

“The penalty for provoking me is quite large. And the penalty for going after my family is even worse. You better prepare yourself, Kim Seok-Il. I swear to you that you will not greet a quick and easy death.”

Kim Seok-Il closed his eyes after seeing the devil's hand closing in.

No matter how quickly regret arrived, it'd always be too late. That was Kim Seok-Il's misfortune.