CH 440

“Young man! Are you insane or what? Answer me!”

Kang Jin-Ho deeply bowed his head. “I'm sorry.”

Find the original at "pawread dot com".

“Seriously now! How could you pretend you didn't hear us when we told you to stop the car through the loud speaker? Didn't you hear our car's sirens?”

“No, officer. I didn't hear them,” Kang Jin-Ho sheepishly replied.

“What the hell? Young man, were you deliberately looking to cause trouble? You were driving that fast, yet you were also playing music so loud that you couldn't hear anything happening outside your car? Listen, young man! If you're not worried about points in your license, then at least be worried about losing your life in a crash! That's the important thing! Do you understand me, young man!”

“...Yes, officer.”

“I'm assuming you're rich, judging from your car. Tell me, wouldn't you be rolling in your grave kicking yourself after you didn't even get the chance to spend all your wealth?”

“...I'm sorry, officer.”

Kang Jin-Ho had never apologized so much before in his life since his birth as today.

Heavenly Crimson Demon Emperor, who had never bowed to anyone even when someone thrust a blade to his throat or knelt in defeat even as a spear stabbed into his gut... was shrinking pitifully in front of the power of a public official with zero martial arts cultivation.

“Young man, I was about to slap you with obstruction of justice as well but decided not to after how you noticed me and slammed on your brakes. That's the only reason why I'm letting you off the hook with a proverbial slap on the wrist! If you hadn't stopped, things would've been far worse for you, do you hear me!”

“Thank you, officer.”

There once was a time when... When even the Emperor, the ruler of all things under the heavens, couldn't act haughty and mighty in the presence of Kang Jin-Ho. Back then, Kang Jin-Ho was the symbol of all martial artists. A symbol of terror... and the absolute ruler of the demon cult!

Every holder of public office tried to avoid Kang Jin-Ho. Government officials and imperial soldiers prayed Kang Jin-Ho would never show up in their districts. But now...

“Young man, you must stick to the speed limit! Do you understand me?”

“Yes, officer. I'm sorry.”

But now, those good times were long over. Kang Jin-Ho was powerless in the face of the terrifying authority ruthlessly pressuring him.

“How could you drive so fast, anyway?! Was it not scary for you?”

“...”

“Sure, let's say it's a phase. Recklessness of youth or something like that. However! At the very least, let's not try to inconvenience or even trouble our fellow road users, shall we! Can you imagine how shocked other road users were when you recklessly overtook them!”

“I'm sorry...”

“Be more careful next time. Do you understand?”

“Yes, officer. Again, I'm sorry.”

“Tsk...” The police officer finished writing the speeding ticket and handed it over to Kang Jin-Ho before climbing into his patrol car.

Kang Jin-Ho watched the cop car drive off and sighed deeply.

Oh, his cherished (?) past...

***

“Mm? What is that?” Bang Jin-Hun frowned deeply after noticing a piece of paper in Kang Jin-Ho's hand.

Kang Jin-Ho said nothing and looked away sheepishly while entering Bang Jin-Hun's office.

Bang Jin-Hun asked again. “What is it?”

“...It's a speeding ticket.”

“Huh? Hah. Hahahaha...!” Bang Jin-Hun burst out laughing while holding his gut. “I knew this would happen one day after seeing how you drove like a madman! Didn't I tell you to take it easy behind the wheel?”

Kang Jin-Ho bitterly smacked his lips. He knew he had no excuses to offer.

“Mister Jin-Ho, I told you to observe the law.”

“Assembly Master Bang, it's a little weird to hear you lecturing me about upholding the law.”

“Eii~, what are you even talking about? I'm a safe-as-you-get driver with a history of two decades of zero accidents. And I haven't even done something as common as jumping the light, you know? At least when it comes to driving, I can confidently say I'm better than you, Mister Jin-Ho.”

Kang Jin-Ho sourly pouted.

“In any case... Please do your best to stick to speed limits. Mister Jin-Ho, I'm guessing you always drive fast regardless of speed cameras. Am I right about that?”

“Yes, you're right.”

“That's one of the hot topics trending in the news lately. People are complaining about how the wealthy scions of Gangnam break all sorts of speed limits but get only slapped on the wrists with pathetic fines. As a citizen of this nation, it's not nice to sow disharmony with your fellow countrymen, wouldn't you say? I mean, your car already has that effect with other road users, anyway.”

“Whew-woo...” Kang Jin-Ho slowly shook his head before taking a seat. Although he was one-sidedly getting punted around here, Kang Jin-Ho couldn't bring himself to counterattack while knowing he was in the wrong.

“Kekekeke... I knew that one of these days, you'd get burned real bad by your driving habits, Mister Jin-Ho.”

Kang Jin-Ho narrowed his eyes. “Why do I get the feeling that you're thoroughly enjoying this?”

“Oh, did I come across that way? My apologies. Wasn't my intention. I'm lamenting what happened, actually. Yes, lamenting...”

“Hmm...” Kang Jin-Ho's pout got a little deeper, so Bang Jin-Hun decided to change the topic right away.

Although making fun of Kang Jin-Ho was undoubtedly one of the most exciting things Bang Jin-Hun could think of, trying his luck even more than this could land him in very hot water.

“Ahem, so... You said you'd start from today, didn't you?”

“Yes, I did,” Kang Jin-Ho nodded.

“Got it. I made all the necessary preparations.”

“Thank you. However, before we start, I have something to discuss with you.”

“Mm? About what?” Bang Jin-Hun tilted his head in puzzlement.

***

“Hmm...” Bang Jin-Hun groaned while rubbing his chin. “China, Japan, and now Britain, too? ...No, wait. Rather than Britain, I should say Europe.”

“Yes, I agree,” Kang Jin-Ho slowly nodded.

After listening to Kang Jin-Ho's description of his encounter with that foreign woman, Bang Jin-Hun couldn't help but suck in a deep breath.

'East Asia, eh...?'

When Bang Jin-Hun thought about it, it seemed so bloody obvious.

Borders might have separated different nations on the map, but everyone was linked to each other under the surface. Maybe it was better to assume that national borders were responsible for making various nations more sensitive toward their neighbors and their internal struggles.

South Korea was going through an upheaval right now, and the neighboring nations would obviously not sit back and watch this situation unfold.

'Did I fall for a trap of my mind's creation?'

Failing to consider this possibility was a massive oversight on Bang Jin-Hun's part. Basically, he let himself fall into complacency. Historically, invasions and countries influencing others were usually instigated by larger, stronger nations toward smaller, weaker nations. That was why Bang Jin-Hun didn't think the changes within South Korea would have altered the situation in the stronger nations surrounding it.

Bang Jin-Hun sighed deeply when his thoughts reached this far. With the variable named Kang Jin-Ho existing right next door to them, both Japan and China wouldn't have been able to sit still and do nothing. What if it had been either Bang Jin-Hun or Kim Seok-Il uniting the Korean martial world instead of Kang Jin-Ho? Things might not have ballooned to this degree.

“Okay, so... Our neighbors are getting restless, in other words?”

Kang Jin-Ho nodded. “Judging from that woman's tone, yes. It seemed that way.”

“Mm...” Bang Jin-Hun felt an onset of migraine and forcefully massaged his temples. While groaning loudly, he shook his head. “Bloody hell... If we think about it, there's North Korea in the mix, too...”

“Yes, that's true.”

“I was too focused on stabilizing South Korea's martial world to think that far ahead. Then again... I'm pretty sure nothing would've changed even if I did think about it.”

Bang Jin-Hun did expect the Japanese to target Kang Jin-Ho, but he thought it'd be to settle the score between them. He didn't expect Korea's island neighbors to be this interested in the peninsula itself.

Bang Jin-Hun getting caught off-guard was understandable, though. From Japan's perspective, South Korea must've looked like an ownerless mountain, yet the Japanese didn't do anything until now. That was why Bang Jin-Hun thought all of Korea's neighbors would maintain the status quo, but now...

Bang Jin-Hun raised his hands in a surrendering position. “Let me be honest here, Mister Jin-Ho. This is way out of my capabilities to deal with. How are we supposed to respond to this information? And what should I do in this situation? I have no idea.”

“I understand, Mister Jin-Hun. It's all too sudden, after all.”

“If I'm being honest... I thought I was playing in the big league while fighting against the former Assembly Master for control of the Assembly. Nowadays, though... I keep getting reminded that I have been extremely wrong about that.”

“No need to beat yourself down, Mister Jin-Hun,” Kang Jin-Ho shook his head.

“Uh-whew... I don't know what to do,” Bang Jin-Hun got up while looking tired. “...Ah! I have something to report to you. I'm sure you'll be displeased about this news, but…”

“Mm? What is it?” Kang Jin-Ho tilted his head.

Bang Jin-Hun hesitated and fidgeted a bit before grimacing. “Lee Seong-Hwi has escaped, Mister Jin-Ho.”

“I'm sorry?”

“...My apologies.”

Kang Jin-Ho grew more serious than before while asking Bang Jin-Hun. “I see. But, mm...”

“Yes?”

“Who is this Lee Seong-Hwi?”

“...”

The confused Kang Jin-Ho tilting his head and the speechless Bang Jin-Hun clamping his mouth shut stared at each other in silence for a while.

***

Kang Jin-Ho dismissively shrugged his shoulders. “Doesn't matter.”

“Even so, I thought I should apologize to you. You told us to take good care of that bastard, after all.”

“I don't remember saying that, though? I merely asked you to deal with him appropriately.”

“Even then...”

Kang Jin-Ho picked up the cup of now-cold coffee and took a sip. “It's not like I'm interested in that man's fate, anyway. I have other things to focus on, after all.”

“Even so, that bastard knows where Kim Seok-Il is. Considering that, maybe we...”

“That doesn't change anything.”

Bang Jin-Hun raised his head a little and studied Kang Jin-Ho's mood. He wanted to figure out if Kang Jin-Ho was being serious right now or trying not to make him feel guilty about his slip-up.

'Huh. He's serious...'

Why did it feel like Kang Jin-Ho never cared about things in the past?

To Kang Jin-Ho, people like Kim Seok-Il and Lee Seok-Hwi were nothing more than characters from already-finished events of the past. As long as they didn't impact his current life, Kang Jin-Ho couldn't care less about them even if he tried.

Such a mindset was something 'normal' people would find hard to understand.

“Both of those bastards... Especially Kim Seok-Il, can be persistent, Mister Jin-Ho. Now that they have escaped, they will try whatever it takes to get back at you.”

“And that day would be their funeral,” said Kang Jin-Ho.

“...”

Bang Jin-Hun felt a chill run down his spine at how unconcerned Kang Jin-Ho was.

'Damn it. I keep forgetting about it...!'

It was easy to forget how cruel and destructive Kang Jin-Ho could be after seeing him show up with a speeding ticket for driving way past the speed limit or listening to his complaints about his mother nagging the hell out of him. And the result of Bang Jin-Hun's forgetfulness was getting mildly shocked every single time.

“...Even so, anything can happen, so please be careful,” said Bang Jin-Hun.

“Okay, I will.”

“Whew. For now, I'll speak to Director Lee Jung-Geol about this matter.”

“Director Lee Jung-Geol, you say? Why?”

“He is more knowledgeable than me about all this international stuff, you see.”

“I see.”

“What will you do, Mister Jin-Ho?”

Kang Jin-Ho suddenly smiled brightly. “I'll be 'talking' to your people as I originally planned.”

Bang Jin-Hun groaned deeply. “Please go easy on them.”

“I was originally thinking of doing just that but... I've changed my mind now.”

“Sorry?”

The smile disappeared from Kang Jin-Ho's face as he furrowed his brow. “If Japan and China indeed start targeting Korea, they won't just come after me. No, they would try to exterminate Korea's martial society and turn this place into their territory.”

Kang Jin-Ho was certain about it since that was Zhongyuan's way of doing things.

“In that case, the Martial Assembly will become their number one target. Korea's martial society is the Martial Assembly in a different name, after all.”

“You're correct, Mister Jin-Ho. I agree.”

Kang Jin-Ho narrowed his eyes. “Objectively speaking, you don't have a chance of victory in your current state.”

“...Yes, that's also correct.”

“Even if you manage to stop the first wave of invasion, it'd be nothing more than a hollow victory at the cost of great sacrifices. That would mean you will be handing everything on a silver platter to the other nation biding their time. As such... We need to prepare accordingly.”

Bang Jin-Hun kept nodding away. Everything Kang Jin-Ho said was correct. “In that case, this preparation you speak of is...?”

“Getting stronger, of course,” Kang Jin-Ho spoke in a firm voice, his expression graver than before. “Me, and everyone else, too.”

Bang Jin-Hun's lips parted and quivered. He... He desperately wanted to ask. It'd be perfectly acceptable for him to shut up and just follow Kang Jin-Ho, but Bang Jin-Hun still wanted to confirm this one thing.

And the answer to this question was the most crucial factor in determining not just the martial artist Bang Jin-Hun's future, but even the Korean Martial Assembly's fate.

“May I ask you something, Mister Jin-Ho?”

“Yes?”

“Do we only have to follow you?”

“...”

“I'm asking if... If we follow you, can we become as strong as you, Mister Jin-Ho?” Bang Jin-Hun asked, not a single trace of mirth visible anywhere in his expression.

The corners of Kang Jin-Ho's lips slowly curled up at that determined expression, and Bang Jin-Hun began shuddering at how chilling that smirk was.

This... This was it! This was the answer he was looking for!

Forget thousands of verbal assurances, that smirk alone was enough to steel Bang Jin-Hun's resolve.

“I'm not sure how to answer you. However, I can still give you an assurance on something. That would be...” Kang Jin-Ho's smirk deepened. “The ones following me and learning from me being weaklings? My pride will not allow it. You asked me if you'll become stronger, didn't you?”

Powerful emotions overflowed in Bang Jin-Hun's expression as he listened.

Kang Jin-Ho declared without a shred of hesitation. “I will make you strong. No matter what it takes!”