Chapter 326: Declaring (1)

People tend to think 'it' should be easy.

They were interested in how many nice things the leaders of groups and corporations enjoyed. However, the same couldn't be said about how much hell those leaders had to experience before standing at the top of their respective groups and corporations. People weren't as interested in such topics.

Less than thirty years ago, Kim Seok-Il was just another Korean martial artist. Merely another one among many, so just how many trials and tribulations would he have gone through to become the leader of Korea's strongest martial organization, the Yeongnam Group?

He certainly didn't feel like boasting about nearly losing his life three times a day to anyone. Whatever the case might be, though, Kim Seok-Il was 100% certain that less than a handful of South Korean martial artists would've experienced as many hellish encounters as he did.

Which begged a question of just how did he manage to overcome all those dangers to reach his current position? Whenever people asked him that, Kim Seok-Il would always answer the same. That it was his gut feeling.

He didn't pull this off by being stronger than everyone. When he was a young man, plenty of his peers were stronger than him. Way too many count, in fact. However, none of them managed to climb high up as Kim Seok-Il had.

He managed to keep his life and built a kingdom of his own by being honest with himself. Rather than being rational or logical, he prioritized momentary gut feelings he'd get.

Even though this way of thinking might sound odd, he still managed to overcome several situations where he would've died for sure if he had responded in a logical manner.

And now, his gut feeling was warning him. It warned him to run as far away from Kang Jin-Ho this instance!

'It's this bad?'

His gut feeling was trying to pull him away from here with an unprecedented level of urgency. The strongest level in his life, in fact! If he wanted to live, Kim Seok-Il's gut feeling screamed, he better do whatever it takes to get away from the man before his eyes... his pride be damned! Even if that meant he must jump into the nearby river and desperately swim away!

Unfortunately, Kim Seok-Il couldn't do that. He couldn't flee now. The first reason why he couldn't do that was the potential cooperation. It could go down the drain if he weren't careful with his actions. The second reason, however...

If the opponent was strong enough to cause his instincts to scream this desperately and fiercely, nothing would change just because Kim Seok-Il tried to flee.

So, he didn't even bother. Instead of fleeing, he chose to ask. “Why are you smiling?”

Kim Seok-Il was curious. Why was this guy smiling in this situation? Not only that but with a creepy, eerie grin that Kim Seok-Il had never seen before?

Kang Jin-Ho shrugged his shoulders. “Because it's laughable.”

“And what is laughable about this situation?”

Kang Jin-Ho eerily stared at Kim Seok-Il. The grin was still there, but his eyes were definitely not smiling. “You're running your mouth as you'd like. So much so that you're making me laugh.”

“Say what?” Kim Seok-Il was momentarily left flustered.

Kang Jin-Ho continued to speak casually. “So what about it?”

Kim Seok-Il couldn't respond to that. No, more correctly, he chose not to. The debut release occurred at N-ov3l=B(j)n.

Kang Jin-Ho's response didn't come about because he had no clue. Indeed, he wasn't inquiring about something but rejecting it instead. Rejecting every suggestion Kim Seok-Il had made until now, that was!

“D-didn't I say that the Japanese bastards are targeting South Korea?!”

“And? So what?”

“If we don't combine our forces...!”

“Kekeke.” Kang Jin-Ho's mocking cackle abruptly cut Kim Seok-Il's desperate persuasion off, his eyes narrowing and distorting. “Still running your mouth off, aren't you? You were the one that attacked me first, even though I was simply minding my own business. You started all this on your own, but now, you want to end it because it suits you?”

“...No, I didn't say we'll end our conflict. However, what I did say was for us to prioritize dealing with this matter first and then get back to our business afterward! Honestly, I have too much grudge against you to let this go.” Kim Seok-Il loudly gritted his teeth. “You haven't lost anything, now have you! But I've seen my hands and feet get chopped off because of you! And my plan went down the toilet, too! My plan that I've been preparing for decades! You want to talk about grudges?! Mine's much bigger than yours! However!”

Kim Seok-Il stopped there while trying to calm himself by taking several long, measured breaths. He eventually resumed his passionate speech in a more subdued voice. “When faced with a greater peril, one must learn to put aside petty differences for the time being. A man of your caliber should know this, so don't be unreasonable.”

“No, I don't know.”

“...Kang Jin-Ho!”

Kang Jin-Ho tilted his head and stared at Kim Seok-Il as if he couldn't comprehend it. “What I do know is... Those who dare to attack me will always pay the price.”

“...!”

This was the moment Kim Seok-Il finally realized what his mistake was. And that was believing Kang Jin-Ho to be a martial artist, just like Kim Seok-Il was.

If one wanted to compare the treachery and underhandedness of methods, then Kang Jin-Ho couldn't even compare to Kim Seok-Il's dastardliness. But now, someone as dastardly as Kim Seok-Il was busy voicing his opinion about putting aside petty grudges and emotions and joining forces together.

Yet, here was Kang Jin-Ho, not even a hint of willingness to cooperate.

Kim Seok-Il was often criticized by his fellow martial artists for being a heartless, merciless bastard. However, he still saw himself as a part of South Korea's martial art society. On the other hand, Kang Jin-Ho didn't share that sentiment. He didn't feel any sense of belonging to the martial art society at all.

Kim Seok-Il gritted his teeth again. “You...! You wish to continue with internal conflict even as foreign enemies are invading our shores?!”

“Internal conflict?” Kang Jin-Ho looked dismayed. “That... doesn't sound right in this case. From my perspective, this is no internal conflict, but more like clearing out the trash or getting revenge.”

Kim Seok-Il was about to say something, but Kang Jin-Ho raised his hand and cut him off. "That's enough."

“...”

“I'll praise you for the courage of showing up here on your own. I like people with courage, you see. So, I'll let you walk away unhurt today. However, you'd do well to remember that this is the extent of my benevolence toward you.”

Kim Seok-Il was unable to respond. Not because he was left speechless but because the thick murderous intent leaking out of Kang Jin-Ho's body had begun choking him.

'This... This guy! He can't be reasoned with!'

However, Kim Seok-Il couldn't afford to stop his persuasion. If he gave up now, the Martial Assembly and the Yeongnam Group would inevitably start fighting tooth and nail. And that would only give the Japanese the opportunity to take over.

'Why... Why did it have to be now!'

If only the timing were better! Kim Seok-Il could have asked the Chinese for assistance and kept the Japanese at bay. It wouldn't have mattered even if the Japanese came out forcefully and full of hostility, as the threat of the Crimson King's personal involvement would've been enough to send them packing, anyway.

However, the Crimson King was currently too busy staring down the Azure King's faction to make a move.

'The Japs must've calculated that much before making their moves. That is why we need to unite more than ever, yet this punk...!'

Unfortunately, the man standing before Kim Seok-Il's eyes was not the type to negotiate. He didn't even have the concept of chasing after benefits in his head. It was crystal clear to Kim Seok-Il that Kang Jin-Ho didn't even spare one iota of his brain power to think about how to extract the maximum level of benefits for himself.

His only motivation was to hit those daring to provoke and attack him several times harder. That was all! Only then did Kim Seok-Il finally realize just what kind of a sleeping lion he had awakened.

Regardless of how the situation unfolds, Kang Jin-Ho would never, ever stop his 'punishment' of Kim Seok-Il as long as he had a breath left in him. Even if the ripples of this fight could very well plunge the entire Korean peninsula into the flames of chaos!

“...Very well. I hear you.” Kim Seok-Il clenched his teeth and turned around to leave. 'God dammit!'

Unlike Kang Jin-Ho, Kim Seok-Il was a quick-witted man. A man with a much faster calculating brain. The moment Kang Jin-Ho said no, Kim Seok-Il had already finished calculating the most beneficial course of action for himself.

The best option was to kill Kang Jin-Ho right now. If he could be reasoned with to some degree, then the actual best option would be to negotiate and cooperate even if he demanded everything in Kim Seok-Il's name.

However, how was he supposed to negotiate with a wall who didn't want to listen and bared his fangs in pure primal animosity at Kim Seok-Il?

That left Kim Seok-Il with the next best option: eliminate Kang Jin-Ho as quickly as possible, then unite the chaotic Martial Assembly under Kim Seok-Il's banner before the Japanese had a chance to unleash their dastardly scheme. Sure, there would be some level of ensuing chaos, but that was still a hundred times more preferable than the Japanese invading Korea in the middle of the war between the Yeongnam Group and the Martial Assembly.

However...!

'God dammit! Dammit!'

Kim Seok-Il continued to swear inwardly. Despite knowing the best way forward, he couldn't act on it. His body refused to budge while staring into Kang Jin-Ho's eyes. All Kim Seok-Il could do was shrink back like a little mouse in front of a hungry cat.

'I got frightened? Is that it? Me?'

He couldn't acknowledge this.

Kim Seok-Il always groveled before those stronger than him. But that was a part of his strategy, his scheme, to survive and prosper, not because he was genuinely frightened by them.

But now, he had to desperately avoid facing the terror mushrooming from deep within him. Kim Seok-Il was not a man who'd get scared just because his enemy was physically stronger. So, where was this fear emanating from?

'...I need to come up with a response.'

Kim Seok-Il suddenly remembered what Lee Hyeon-Su said to him some time ago.

~

“Sir, you've never personally met Kang Jin-Ho before, have you?”

~

Lee Hyeon-Su was right. Kim Seok-Il might have started bleeding from his ears at all the reports he got to hear about Kang Jin-Ho's actions and the level of danger he posed. But the truth was... they did little to prepare him.

As it turned out, Kang Jin-Ho was a type of human that could not be understood unless one met him personally.

'I need to speak to Lee Hyeon-Su again.'

And..

Kim Seok-Il sneaked a glance behind him and confirmed that Kang Jin-Ho was still smoking leisurely away while watching the river flow. He didn't even spare a cursory glance in Kim Seok-Il's way.

'...Looks like I might have to speak to Bang Jin-Hun, too.'

Gloominess settled within Kim Seok-Il's expression.

***

Kang Jin-Ho smirked faintly while sensing Kim Seok-Il's distancing presence.

'He's like a rat.'

Even as he was walking away, Kim Seok-Il should be cooking up various schemes to kill Kang Jin-Ho. People with eyes like Kim Seok-Il were known to be persistent and underhanded. And those were easily the most annoying type to deal with.

Considering all these factors, the wisest thing to do would be to tear Kim Seok-Il's head off right now. However, Kang Jin-Ho had no plans of doing that. Such a death would be too easy for Kim Seok-Il.

He and his underlings dared to harm Kang Jin-Ho's family. The appropriate punishment for someone like that was witnessing everything he had built up crumble away to nothingness. And knowing that a grim reaper was slowly closing in.

For that purpose...!

Kang Jin-Ho leisurely turned his head. “Hey, stop.”

Kim Seok-Il stopped walking away, then looked back at Kang Jin-Ho in barely-contained puzzlement.

“I'll give you a small present before you leave.” Kang Jin-Ho took out the cigarette in his mouth, then flicked it at the river's water.

BANG!

All he did was flick the cigarette with his fingers, yet a noise-defying comprehension exploded in the air. The cigarette flew at a speed naked eyes couldn't follow and plunged into the river water.

'...What is he doing?'

Kim Seok-Il, now even more confused, alternated his gaze between Kang Jin-Ho and the river. He couldn't figure out the meaning behind that action.

Kang Jin-Ho disinterestedly muttered. “Take care of the aftermath.”

“Say what? What are you...” Kim Seok-Il couldn't finish his question as his lips clamped shut on their own.

That was because he saw 'it'. On the spot of water where the cigarette butt had disappeared, he saw a well of crimson liquid bubbling up.

'...Blood?'

That amount of blood couldn't be called a lot. So little, in fact, that passersby wouldn't have noticed anything weird unless they were paying attention. However, there was still no mistaking it. That... was blood.

Kang Jin-Ho smirked. “They wouldn't have used only the airport to enter the country.”

Kim Seok-Il shuddered at that sneering remark. 'They have already placed surveillance around us!'

Kim Seok-Il hadn't noticed anything, but it seemed Kang Jin-Ho did. Since the beginning, probably. That knowledge deepened Kim Seok-Il's fear by another level.

Kim Seok-Il finally managed to tear his gaze away from the water to look back at Kang Jin-Ho and noticed a faint little smirk on the latter's face.

“Don't forget. I'll be paying you a visit real soon. And don't think you'll get as lucky as today.”

“...!”

Kang Jin-Ho turned around to leave at the end of his warning.

Kim Seok-Il alternated his gaze between Kang Jin-Ho's distancing back and the well of blood bubbling up within the river. His trembling hands were tightly squeezed into fists as he shuddered.

'I... I must find a way out of this!'

If Kim Seok-Il couldn't come up with a solution, a response, before Kang Jin-Ho showed up on his doorstep... It'd be certain death for him.

A death that could not be avoided no matter what!

1. The Luminous King will be changed to the Azure King from now on. We have also updated the previous chapter.