Chapter 340 - Clash of the Idols (6)

The President held his breath as the front door slowly opened. The man he had wanted to see dead for so long was finally here. His fingers clenched into a fist as he waited for Kwon Jiwon to finally arrive.

"Hello Grandfather."

Junhyung glanced at the President whose face squirmed in fury.

"What are you doing here?" the President demanded. "I told you to stay low."

Song Tamlin also entered the mansion, closely tailing Ash. He was witnessing the exchange between the grandfather and grandson duo, wary of their silent war. SD had done well in delaying KJ by bringing him through a long route which gave them ample amount of time to prepare. His men were closing in on the guards stationed outside, already knocking several of them out.

All they needed to do was delay the President.

"Did you kill Song Dasom?" Ash calmly asked. "The bomb planted in the car. Was it you who did that?"

"If you know the answer, then don't ask," The President replied coolly. "Why are you here? To ask me that silly question?"

Ash sighed. Tamlin knew that it took the man all his willpower to not kill the President on the spot but the old man had a stubborn hold on life. Ash was trying to buy time so that the Abyss team could successfully infiltrate the premises. They had no means to contact each other and all they could do was to rely on the timing.

Tamlin glanced at the watch. Within exactly ten minutes, the underground team would be assaulting the chefs and mix the liquid into the guards' food. From the corner of his eyes, he saw some of the guards preparing to go for lunch.

"I'm here to demand my birthright!" Ash claimed. "You promised that you will name me your heir."

"You're a fugitive," the President scorned him. "Your face is too well known. The Cartel operates on secrecy and we can't risk it by putting a famous person in charge of it."

"The Cartel's secrets are already out!" Ash snapped. He was weaving a dangerous web but there was no other choice. They must keep the President busy at all costs before the Abyss team broke into the mansion. Where were they?

…

SD checked his watch. Tamlin had texted him that Ash and him were already at the mansion while the Abyss team was also on its way, making a route through an underground tunnel. KJ was quiet, lost in his own thoughts. He was like a zombie, unfeeling and uncaring. Death no longer scared him and his head was in a daze. Thoughts of Dasom's cold body flew in and out of his mind but other than that, he was just an empty shell.

"We're here," SD announced. KJ slowly looked up to see the large gates of the mansion. They opened automatically, as if anticipating his arrival. The President was clearly waiting for him, eager to kill him. The thought of the burnt old man waiting in the mansion made KJ's blood boil in anger.

The fiery desire to kill that man with his own hands would not leave him. He had promised Mirae that he would not do anything to risk his life but this one last act was enough to send KJ over the edge. All the ties he had to his past was being cut off one by one, leaving him alone and lonely. First it was his parents, then Ms. Sohee, Mirae and his unborn child in the original timeline. Then Ash and Jinhyun.

Finally, Dasom was also snatched away by the cold hands of death.

"I have a strange fate," KJ mused in a sardonic voice. SD stared at him for a few moments.

"No, Kwon Jiwon," SD said. "You don't have a strange fate. You're just stuck in a never ending limbo of pain. What you want is revenge."

"Revenge won't bring Dasom back," KJ said.

"No," SD stated. "But it'll kill that god darn asshole who killed your soul."

KJ did not pay heed to that man. He was in no state to do so.

"If you make out of this alive," SD went on, scribbling something on a paper. "And you want to escape, then just let me know."

He handed the paper to KJ who put it in his pocket absentmindedly. He was not sure if he would ever meet anyone again.

Suddenly, a different image came into his mind. Mirae's green eyes were looking at him, filled with love. Seeing her made his heart ache and for a moment, he wanted to run away and head straight into her arms.

But it was too late to back out. In order for her to live a long and happy life, the President must die. And he was willing to give up his life for that cause. No more deaths, he vowed. This ends today.

He slowly stepped out of the car, not caring about the guards who would probably shoot him down on sight. But there were no guards around. The President must have sent them away so that KJ could enter the premises.

SD watched KJ enter through the gates and head for the front door. He sent a text to Tamlin who was inside already. His job there was done and it was time for him to leave. But he paused for a second before sending another text.

"Time to create a war," he muttered. Revving up the engine, he backed the car and drove off to his next destination.

Meanwhile, in the mansion, the President was still at loggerhead with Ash.

"Isn't it enough that you're allowed to keep our surname?" the President scoffed. "My son's family name? My daughter was no good and ran off with a scoundrel and had you! My son…my precious son was my everything. Yet, that woman made me kill him! If it wasn't for that bitch…"

The old bitterness in his tone was back. Whenever he thought of that woman, he wanted to rip the world to shreds. He had gone to a deadly gang war for her, painting the whole town crimson with the bloods of many people. And yet…yet she betrayed him. Even killing her a hundred times would not be enough for him.

He had murdered her husband in front of her eyes. His plan was to keep her captive and put her up as a toy for his men like he did to Nida. But that bitch managed to snatch a pistol from one of his men and killed herself. It was her last defiance. She knew very well that her easy death would defeat him.

But she did not count that the enmity would be shared with her wretched son as well.

"You won't get anything," the President declared. "Not a cent!"

Junhyung smirked. If Park Ash was not the heir, then that must mean that the President would name him the heir. Junhyung was already dreaming of the rewards he was about to get. He had given up a lot of things to reach that far and he would not hesitate to kill if he could reach the top.

Suddenly, the front door opened again. All of them turned their attention to it as a lone figure entered through it.

The President was gaping in shock first but then his lips curled into a smile.

"Welcome, Kwon Jiwon," he grinned. "To my humble abode."