CH 391

“Did you say you cannot contact them?” Saito Genryu's expression rapidly changed.

“...Yes, sir,” Oizumi Shunsuke lowered his head.

“No contact? What are you implying with that, Oizumi? Are you trying to tell me that our men were wiped out even before they could contact us?! Do you honestly think such a thing is even possible!”

“...Sir, I also cannot fathom it, but it is an unquestionable truth.”

“Does it look like I'm in any mood to humor your insolent retorts!”

Oizumi Shunsuke shuddered at the rage directed in his way.

'Goddamn it!'

Making reports was one of the crappiest jobs imaginable. After all, one had no choice but to report to their boss despite knowing he'd be on the receiving end of the boss's rage. And Oizumi Shunsuke understood why Saito Genryu receiving his report was enraged, so he couldn't even complain about it, either!

“Other agents are understandable. They aren't skilled enough, anyway,” said Saito Genryu. “However, what about Sakatsuki? Is he also missing?”

“...Yes, sir.”

Saito Genryu stared in disbelief at Oizumi Shunsuke before a hollow chuckle leaked out of his mouth. “So... even Sakatsuki was killed?”

“It is still unclear if they have been killed, sir. But…”

Saito Genryu's expression was noticeably different from a second ago. If his previous expression hinted at his flabbergast, his new expression displayed his vigilance.

“I see. So, even Sakatsuki lost…” Saito Genryu muttered quietly while gripping the hilt of his beloved katana. The sensation of smooth leather transmitted through his skin, almost instantly calming the agitation felt throughout his body. “I see. So that's what happened…”

Once his mind had calmed down, the cogs in Saito Genryu's brain kicked into a higher gear. This matter was no longer on the level of 'merely' inducing his agitation.

Being agitated might have been a reasonable response until recently, but now? This matter had breached into the realm of 'threatening'.

'An agent who shouldn't have lost... have lost.'

Other shinobis losing in a battle was understandable. They were supposed to be front-line fighters, after all. Getting sucked into an unexpected battle was a distinct possibility for them.

However, Sakatsuki wasn't a front-line fighter. He was a special operative dispatched by Saito Genryu, just in case. Sakatsuki possessed strength far exceeding most combatants and had even mastered extremely powerful ninjutsu to complement his strength.

Sakatsuki was indeed fully deserving of the title 'shinobi'. However, someone like that still died? Even though he'd never join the battle and observe the situation from a considerable distance away? It could only mean that a martial artist powerful enough to sense Sakatsuki's presence, chase him down and kill him existed in the Korean peninsula. Whoever this individual was...

'...This is an extraordinary development!'

Until now, the Korean peninsula was a wasteland for martial arts. However, what if a powerful martial artist appeared to unite all the disparate factions under his banner? That would give birth to a massive variable in the current situation.

Although Saito Genryu was doubtful if the united Korean factions could do anything meaningful, the act of bringing the fractured Korean martial world together still carried significant implications.

Once united, their voices would become louder. And the combined numbers would become a great source of strength, too. In that case, Korea's role as the buffer zone between China and Japan would effectively be over.

'I don't think something that extreme would happen in a brief window of time, but...'

This situation was too vague. Too uncertain. East Asia's balance hinged on the developing situation in the Korean Peninsula. If Saito Genryu was to exaggerate a little, Korea had somehow become the trigger that could unsettle East Asia.

“...This is why I kept recommending to the executives that we must conquer the peninsula as soon as possible!” Saito Genryu slapped his thigh in unhappiness.

The Japanese had been too focused on their in-fighting, which allowed an important prey like Korea to slip right through their fingers. What a painful mistake this was!

“Oizumi! Is that punk named Kang Jin-Ho also responsible for this development?”

“Sir. It is unknown at this stage of our investigation.”

“Unknown this, unclear that! Does every answer you hold start with 'un' in front?! What exactly do you know, then?!”

Oizumi prostrated even lower to the floor despite knowing the rebuking comments weren't really meant for him.

This wasn't Oizumi Shunsuke's fault. At the same time, it kind of was. He hadn't done anything wrong, but that didn't excuse his incompetence.

Being incompetent was a sin in this world. Saying it was okay since he did his best was just a poor excuse by the incompetent fool to comfort himself.

“Sir! I shall secure all necessary information by deploying all remaining personnel. I will even mobilize additional personnel if need be!” Oizumi Shunsuke planted his forehead on the floor.

“Very well. Be quick about it, Oizumi!”

“Yes, sir!”

“And, also…” Saito Genryu grimaced a little and stopped Oizumi Shunsuke from leaving.

Oizumi Shunsuke didn't urge his superior officer and remained silent, his head lowered.

“...I shall convince the higher-ups. So, you focus on monitoring Kang Jin-Ho and nothing else. Be thorough about it!”

“Yes, sir!”

“It doesn't have to be our agents only. Demand cooperation from every Korean organization that has ties to us. I don't care if you have to resort to using my name. Now isn't the time to keep each other in check. Until we understand the situation in the peninsula, all conflicts will be put on hold!”

“I will convey your order, sir!”

“Good.” Saito Genryu nodded, then watched Oizumi step back and exit the room.

A weighty sigh escaped from his lips.

'This is alarming.'

Now wasn't the time to suck on his thumb doing nothing. Saito Genryu unhesitantly got up.

In some sense, Saito Genryu might be the one at fault for this situation. Instead of voicing his opinion and then complaining about how no one listened to him, he could have been more vocal about conquering the Korean peninsula to the higher-ups. If only he had done that, this situation wouldn't have devolved into its current state.

Saito Genryu's expression hardened as he left the room in aggressive steps. Before things could go past the point of no return, he needed to come up with a plan!

'Kang Jin-Ho... Kang Jin-Ho...!'

Everything seemed to be going out of whack after Kang Jin-Ho's appearance.

***

“This is nonsense!”

“Unfair!”

“Isn't this gender discrimination?!”

Boys were pouting so much that they resembled ducklings now. However, that was understandable.

They barely managed to survive Kang Jin-Ho's abuse disguised as 'education' and crawled back home only to find the girls happily chatting and laughing away. As a matter of fact, the orphanage boys were nearly blinded by the brightness of the girls' expressions!

The boys realized something about the girls felt... 'different,' and it didn't take them long to figure out why. The hairstyles of the girls had changed, and they must've done something to their skin because their faces were positively glowing!

Compared to the boys, who were figuratively on the brink of death, these girls were too full of life and joy!

After learning about this situation, the boys urgently convened an emergency meeting.

The leader of the meeting, Han Jin-Seong, held his head and asked, “...What should we do?”

“I dunno…”

“This is too unfair, right! I can't believe how unfair this is. How can I sleep knowing this injustice is happening to us!”

“...Jin-Seong hyung, Jong-Su is asleep, though?”

“Eh?” Han Jin-Seong hurriedly looked around. It wasn't just Jong-Su, though. Other kids had begun drifting off to sleep from the day's exhaustion. Han Jin-Seong freaked out and tried to wake the kids up. “Hey! Wake up! You gotta wash up first, you know! You can't sleep like that!”

After forcibly waking up the drowsy kids and herding them inside the bathroom, Han Jin-Seong sighed while wiping the sweat off his forehead.

Han Jin-Seong was the oldest boy here, yet he still found the going tough, so it must've been even worse for the younger kids.

'Will this kind of training... really help us?'

Han Jin-Seong and the boys were simply following along since the one ordering them around happened to be Kang Jin-Ho. Even so, he wasn't sure how much this type of physical training would benefit them. Even if it was effective, how long would they have to wait?

Han Jin-Seong's complexion grew gloomier. It wasn't as if he distrusted Kang Jin-Ho. However, he still thought it'd take too long for him and his orphanage siblings to reach a level that might satisfy Kang Jin-Ho's standards.

...And they would have to endure terrible bullying in the meantime.

'Will everyone be alright?'

Being ostracized wasn't as complex as it sounded. It was merely... realizing that others didn't treat you as an 'equal' to everyone else.

Other children had their parents to rely on when their self-esteem was wounded, but the same didn't apply to the orphanage kids. No one was here to heal their wounds and to help with their sorrow.

The new orphanage director and Park Yu-Min were doing their best, but...

Han Jin-Seong helplessly smirked.

'That's not as easy as it sounds.'

He knew better than anyone how challenging it was to look after children with disabilities. That was why he also knew wishing for something more would be unrealistic.

“Fuu-woo…” Han Jin-Seong groaned deeply, then got up from his chair.

One of the boys asked him, “Mm? Where are you going?”

“I'm gonna pop outside for some fresh air. It's getting a bit stuffy in here.”

“Okay, hyung. I'll wash the kids and send them to bed.”

“Okay, thanks. I'll leave it to you.”

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Once he stepped outside, Han Jin-Seong felt like the cool night air was rapidly filling his lungs. He plopped down on one of the benches in the orphanage's front yard, then quietly looked up at the night sky.

'It's dark...'

He heard that the night skies above the mountainside would usually be awash with stars, but... Han Jin-Seong had never seen a sky like that. He had never traveled outside Seoul before, after all.

Han Jin-Seong quietly grumbled, “...Gee whiz. Even the sky is so stuffy…”

“You think so?”

Han Jin-Seong shot up to his feet at that sudden voice coming from somewhere behind him. He looked and discovered Kang Jin-Ho walking toward him with a cigarette dangling between his lips.

“Uhm, yeah, hyung…”

“I actually like it.”

“Like what, hyung?”

Kang Jin-Ho pointed at the sky with his chin. “The night sky.”

“Huh? You like that pitch-black sky?”

“Mm. Why? Is it weird?”

“Well, rather than weird…” Han Jin-Seong chuckled and shrugged his shoulders. “Hang on, I guess it is weird. I don't get why anyone would say they prefer that inky-black night sky.”

Kang Jin-Ho smirked back at the boy, then sat next to Han Jin-Seong on the bench. “So, it is weird, then?”

“Yeah, hyung. Very weird. Most normal people will prefer a night sky with lots of stars while saying all those stars might start raining down on them. Or something.”

“Indeed, most normal people will prefer that. However... Are you saying not being normal is weird?”

Han Jin-Seong couldn't immediately respond to that question. For some reason... it felt like those words directly stabbed him in the heart.

Was being different... weird? Being different was...

Kang Jin-Ho didn't wait for Han Jin-Seong's reply and started talking again. “If you live long enough, you begin thinking about certain things.”

“Eh?”

“You see, things you take for granted now, things you think are obvious... You start seeing them in the opposite light as time passes by.”

“...Okay?”

“Once a person's mindset changes, they will only adhere to their new point of view as if their previous self was all a lie. What's funny about that is... People who think that way and get ostracized by the rest of society will become the center of attention after the world suddenly changes.” Kang Jin-Ho glanced at Han Jin-Seong. “So, let me ask you again. Is being different... wrong?”

“I dunno.” Han Jin-Seong sighed and shook his head. “I don't know if it's wrong or what, hyung. What I do know is, though... Being different is so hard.”

Kang Jin-Ho didn't say anything. He knew that the boy didn't need words of comfort right now.

'Yes, I'm sure it is hard.'

The toughest part about living in Zhongyuan for Kang Jin-Ho was that while he looked like everyone else, his common sense and mindset were too different from theirs. In a way, it felt like he had been isolated from the world.

Those who had not experienced this feeling of being alone and isolated despite living in a society full of people like them would never understand it.

Compared to Kang Jin-Ho's situation back then, Han Jin-Seong's pain might seem insignificant. However, no one had the right to look down or make fun of someone else's pain.

“Jin-Seong, you still have them, don't you?”

“Eh? What do you mean, hyung?”

“People who worry about you. People who will share your pain.”

Han Jin-Seong reflexively looked behind. He stared at the orphanage building with half of its light turned off, then slowly nodded. “I guess... You're right, hyung.”

“And I'll also share your burden, so don't worry too much about it. I promise I will fix this situation for you.”

Han Jin-Seong suddenly got up, then shrugged his shoulders while addressing Kang Jin-Ho. “Hyung, you should also not push yourself too much. You are not Superman, you know?”

“...Got it.”

“Okay. See you tomorrow.” Han Jin-Seong trotted back inside the building.

Kang Jin-Ho took out a new cigarette and slowly mouthed it.

'Superman, is it...?'

Maybe, Kang Jin-Ho needed to become one... If he wanted to protect everyone from this cruel and uncaring world.

Kang Jin-Ho quietly closed his eyes and leaned back.