Chapter 51
“Will it be alright for you to leave like this?”
At Ahn Hyunwoo’s question, Park Chung-ho, on his way to the boarding gate, scoffed.
As if it were nothing, Park Chung-ho returned his gaze to his tablet PC.
“They’re expendable either way. As long as they bring me the [Legendary Title], they’ll have served their purpose.”
“I’m not sure about Director Jang, but that Park Jae-hyun fellow seems like a waste to lose.”
“Is that what the god behind you says?”
“The eyes given to me by the General are telling me so. He’s a man who could become great if used well.”
“Hmph.”
Finding Ahn Hyunwoo’s words amusing, another dry laugh escaped Park Chung-ho.
“I don’t have time to be tied down in Seoul. I can always find more talent. It’s overflowing.”
“If that is the Master’s will, then I understand.”
After that, Ahn Hyunwoo didn’t bring it up again.
They boarded the plane, and among the party seated in their places, Park Chung-ho was visible.
While checking articles related to the [Legendary Title Holder] on his tablet PC, Park Chung-ho suddenly looked out the window and smiled.
“It’s a shame. To think the very things I need are in that guy’s hands.”
He recalled the moment [PVP Mode] had been activated at the mansion earlier.
The distinct name that had floated above the face hidden by a strange, old-looking helmet.
“Bang Hyuk-min… It would have been nice if he were under my command.”
Muttering Bang Hyuk-min’s name one more time, he turned off the tablet PC.
Then, with Bang Hyuk-min’s silhouette still vivid in his mind, he let out a subtle killing intent.
“I’ll let it slide this far. If he acts up any more than this… I’ll have no choice but to kill him and take them.”
= = =
Countless people descended on Jang Han-bit’s mansion after Park Chung-ho left.
More than twenty people bearing the Azure Lake Guild’s mark—each displaying extraordinary ability—took their positions and began guarding the mansion.
Additional barriers were layered over the existing one.
From unseen positions, snipers with glowing eyes steadied their guns.
Even hulking tankers roamed the grounds.
Unless attacked by a force the size of a decent guild, Jang Han-bit’s mansion had become an impenetrable fortress.
“Whew, what in the world was all that.”
Jang Han-bit clutched his chest in an atmosphere that felt like a storm had just passed.
Just then, Park Jae-hyun, who had been staring intently at the gaping hole in the mansion wall, asked.
“What kind of person is that Park Chung-ho?”
“Can’t you tell by looking? He’s like fire, and the people he keeps around him are all incredible. Just look at the guild members stationed here at a single command. How many people in the Republic of Korea have this kind of power?”
Park Jae-hyun was someone who ran an information guild.
What Jang Han-bit saw was obvious, and far more than that was clearly visible to Park Jae-hyun.
The information Park Jae-hyun wanted about Park Chung-ho couldn’t be known just by looking.
He asked again.
“That’s not what I’m asking. What did he originally do? How did you come to meet him, sir?”
“Don’t try to know too much.”
“Pardon?”
Was there something he didn’t know?
Jang Han-bit’s gaze changed.
His lifeless eyes, as if everything were hopeless, reflected a mix of emotions that couldn’t be defined.
“I’ll tell you one thing. Guild Master Park Chung-ho—don’t trust him too much.”
Park Jae-hyun’s eyebrows twitched.
“He’s the kind of person who can replace people whenever he needs to. Like I said, he has a lot of amazing people around him. Enough to replace people in our positions at any moment.”
This was completely different from the utterly loyal face Jang Han-bit had shown in front of Park Chung-ho.
The loyal vassal who looked ready to risk his life at a single command was nowhere to be found.
“He’s dangerous, but as long as you act like candy to be rolled around in his mouth, he’s definitely someone who will give you a lot.”
Jang Han-bit’s gaze scanned Park Jae-hyun, who was lost in thought, from top to bottom.
Sensing the stare, Park Jae-hyun came back to himself and looked at Jang Han-bit.
“Pardon?”
“Do you think Guild Master Park Chung-ho’s goal ends with taking over Busan?”
“What does that…”
“Busan is as good as in Guild Master Park Chung-ho’s hands already. Just wait a little. It’s only a matter of time before the Haeundae Guild’s name changes to the Azure Lake Guild.”
Perhaps because he had heard something bigger than expected, Park Jae-hyun couldn’t control his expression.
But Jang Han-bit wasn’t finished.
“I’m telling you this since you’re someone who can’t escape now either… You know Baeksan Guild, right?”
Baeksan Guild, the number one ranked guild in the Republic of Korea.
That massive guild said to have the Republic of Korea in its grasp.
Why that guild…
An overwhelming anxiety rose in him.
In contrast, a smile appeared on Jang Han-bit’s lips.
“That’s also only a matter of time. In a few years, a cataclysm will occur in the Republic of Korea. So don’t even think about doing a background check on Guild Master Park Chung-ho…”
Thwack!
Thud.
Right as he was speaking excitedly, Jang Han-bit collapsed forward limply with a dull impact.
‘What!?’
The shock at the sudden event was brief.
“You… You’re…”
From behind Jang Han-bit, Hyuk-min, wearing the Death Knight’s Helmet, revealed himself.
This was inside the mansion, crawling with the Azure Lake Guild’s elite.
Park Jae-hyun stared at Hyuk-min, utterly unable to believe how and when he had gotten in.
Then, in the blink of an eye, Hyuk-min’s hand clamped over Park Jae-hyun’s mouth.
“Mmph, mmph!”
Thwack!
He drove a fist into Park Jae-hyun’s abdomen, knocking him out just like Jang Han-bit.
Even then, no one in the mansion knew the two had been taken down.
= = =
He looked down at the Dark Ring drawn on his wrist.
‘If it weren’t for this, even in [Regression Mode], I would have been the one to die.’
This proved the plan had fallen perfectly into place.
Whether Park Chung-ho’s group was there or not, now that the plan was complete, they could never catch Hyuk-min.
Should he call it amazing?
In truth, all of this had originally belonged to the Park Chung-ho of his past life.
He had been half in doubt, but after using it himself, he was certain.
‘This is how he was able to win even against Baeksan Guild.’
That Park Chung-ho had brought down Baeksan Guild was an undeniable fact.
“As expected… It’s just as I thought.”
Shaking his head and clicking his tongue, he looked down at Jang Han-bit and Park Jae-hyun lying side by side.
“So even Jang Han-bit and Park Jae-hyun are just components to you, Chung-ho…”
He had certainly posed enough of a threat to take down even the Western Shaman, Ahn Hyunwoo, single-handedly.
Although he hadn’t managed to eliminate them, he had shown Park Chung-ho that Jang Han-bit’s and Park Jae-hyun’s lives could be in danger.
Despite that, the only measure Park Chung-ho took was to have Azure Lake Guild members guard this place.
It was closer to neglect than a countermeasure.
‘This is why. This is why I didn’t kill these guys.’
Tsk, tsk.
If he had intended to kill them, they would have vanished from this world the moment he obtained the Death Knight’s Helmet.
He glanced back and forth between the two men—quietly unconscious—and the Azure Lake Guild members stationed outside.
Looking at the situation, it felt as if he could hear Park Chung-ho’s message.
[Kill them if you’re going to. The experiment is soon, so it’s a bit of a shame, but I have more important things to worry about right now.]
It was as if they were having a conversation.
Squeeze.
His fists clenched on their own.
But soon, the tightly clenched fists slowly unfurled, and a serene smile—one he’d never shown before—spread across Hyuk-min’s lips.
“Park Chung-ho, you think you’re a perfect factory, but you’re not.”
Park Chung-ho’s appearance had been unexpected, but as he’d said from the beginning, everything that had unfolded was precisely within his plans and predictions.
Even the neglect disguised as a measure—everything.
“Should I thank you for confirming it for me like this?”
He stepped into the space between the two fallen men and slowly bent down.
Then he grabbed one of each of their arms.
“I’ll show you myself. That your precious factory can be broken by just a few components.”
Swoosh.
He let go of the two arms.
Jang Han-bit’s left arm and Park Jae-hyun’s right arm fell roughly to the floor.
And there, clearly imprinted on their arms, was a black, circular tattoo.
After confirming the Dark Ring was well-engraved, Hyuk-min turned and vanished from the spot.
= = =
Lunchtime, with the sun high in the sky.
Park Jae-hyun now also participated in the daily video conference with Park Chung-ho.
“…And so, it seems all experiments will be completed in about five days.”
[Five days from now would be June 5th?]
“Yes, that’s correct.”
[We’ve got an uninvited guest, too. We’ll have to prepare thoroughly.]
Jang Han-bit and Park Jae-hyun stood in front of the beam projector for the PPT presentation.
Park Chung-ho, who had been watching them intently, wore a subtle smile.
[Still, seeing your faces like this, it seems you got through last night safely.]
“It’s thanks to you. The guild members you sent were a great help. Or maybe they didn’t show up because they were afraid of the power you and your two arms displayed yesterday, Guild Master.”
[They looked like guys who wouldn’t let go so easily. Was that all they had?]
Park Jae-hyun spoke.
“We are using all currently available personnel to search for them. We will show you results as soon as possible.”
[Well, I’m not expecting much. You can’t even find a trace of that Black Label or that Ayame Guild, so how could you guys find them?]
The Ayame Guild was famous as Busan’s information guild.
It seemed Park Chung-ho used the Ayame Guild often.
After staring at Jang Han-bit and Park Jae-hyun in silence for a moment, Park Chung-ho scoffed and pointed at the two.
[You two seem to have gotten quite close. Even getting matching tattoos that even couples rarely get.]
“Th-That’s…”
At the word “tattoos,” the two of them hid their hands without realizing it.
They had tried to hide it, but it seemed the Dark Ring had shown through their occasionally raised sleeves.
Jang Han-bit was flustered, but Park Chung-ho burst out laughing and waved a hand dismissively.
[Hey, as long as you’re not gay, it’s fine. You’re not, right?]
“N-No. Absolutely not. I definitely like women.”
As Jang Han-bit waved his hands in denial, Park Chung-ho gave a strange smile.
Then, as if it were nothing, he closed the tablet PC he was holding.
[Well then, prepare well without any mistakes, and I’ll see you on the 5th.]
“Yes, then.”
[Do well.]
“Yes…”
Just as Park Jae-hyun was about to end the video conference, he heard Park Chung-ho’s voice, as if it carried a hidden meaning.
Forcing an awkward smile, Park Jae-hyun ended the video conference quickly and let out the breath he’d been holding.
“Hoo… I think it’s right to tell him. We should tell him now…”
“I told you, no! Did you not hear what I said yesterday? Park Chung-ho is a man who will throw you away anytime you’re no longer useful!”
Bothered that he had spoken without the ‘Guild Master’ title in his anger, Jang Han-bit glanced around.
Then he pressed his index finger to his lips, signaling him to be quiet.
“And he doesn’t just throw you away. It’s disposal. You die. So absolutely not. The important thing now is to find out what this is first. But anyway, that aside, are you sure the one who did this was that [Legendary Title Holder] from last night?”
With a serious expression, Park Jae-hyun nodded.
“I saw him. That old helmet. It was him.”
“This is driving me crazy. What the hell were the guild members doing? Is that Bang Hyuk-min guy that good? Or are our guild members that stupid?”
Even as they said it, they both knew the answer.
The Azure Lake Guild members who had come for support last night were the real deal.
Forcibly shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Jang Han-bit looked straight at Park Jae-hyun.
“For now, proceed without any issues. If the experiment proceeds without a problem, I’ll ask Guild Master Chung-ho to assign us some skilled personal guards.”
“Understood.”
“Even if we’re anxious, let’s just hold on until then.”
“Then I’ll go out and get things ready.”
“Alright…”
After Park Jae-hyun left, Jang Han-bit, now alone, looked distraught.
“I’m really going crazy.”
The Dark Ring was clearly imprinted on his left arm.
He rubbed it until his skin turned red, but the Dark Ring tattoo showed no sign of disappearing. Jang Han-bit finally screamed.
“Aaargh! To think we’d get marked by a [Legendary Title Holder] of all people… What the hell did we do to deserve this! Aaaaargh!”
Jang Han-bit screamed and screamed.
In front of him, several sheets of paper were spread out.
[Non-Disclosure Agreement.]
They were the very documents that had driven Hyuk-min’s family to ruin.
And on the very top sheet, surprisingly, the name and seal of Hyuk-min’s father were clearly visible.
On an agreement vowing to maintain secrecy about everything that happened inside the Shindang-dong department store.