Chapter 520: Training (5)

Yi Myeong-Hwan could only turn his head away.

He couldn't keep staring at Kang Jin-Ho's sinister smile since it made him remember that day. That day when countless lives fell like bloodied reeds under Kang Jin-Ho's swords...!

A cruel, bloodthirsty devil hid behind that plain human face.

'Is it because of demonic arts? Or is that how he is? I guess I'll never figure it out...' Yi Myeong-Hwan sighed and slowly shook his head.

In the meantime, his comrades began opening their eyes one by one.

“F*ck! I couldn't do it! Again!”

“H-hey, I think I did it! I've done it!”

“Stop lying, you f*ck! You trying to pull a fast one on us? Is that it?!”

“I'm telling you the truth!”

Kang Jin-Ho frowned slightly. “Silence.”

The auditorium was instantly enveloped in silence as soon as Kang Jin-Ho's quiet voice hit the bickering martial artists in their eardrums.

“Others are still cultivating, yet you dare raise a commotion? Where did you learn this level of stupidity?” Kang Jin-Ho tutted loudly.

“...My apologies.”

“I don't care about you being emotional. However, at least try not to inconvenience others around you.”

Those were words of common sense, but several martial artists listening to it all got a little weirded out by the fact that Kang Jin-Ho was the person reminding them.

After all, Kang Jin-Ho and common sense didn't always go well together until now!

“No need to be happy about succeeding once. And there is also no need to be disappointed by your failure. I'm sure all of you already know that being the fastest off the starting line doesn't mean you'll become the strongest.”

The martial artists who had already opened their eyes were nodding contemplatively.

The race of cultivation was like a neverending marathon of pure endurance and luck. Who started a little faster or slower meant nothing in the grander scheme of things. Besides, who crossed the finishing line at the end determined the winners and losers in this race.

“Stick with it. Continue training, and you'll see results soon enough,” said Kang Jin-Ho while scanning the crowd before leisurely exiting the auditorium.

The martial artists watched him leave as steely resolve crept into their expressions.

***

After exiting the building, Kang Jin-Ho headed to his car. He had already said hello to his acquaintances in the Martial Assembly before heading to the auditorium, so it should be fine to leave like this.

Kang Jin-Ho stopped next to his car's door, then glanced behind at the Martial Assembly HQ.

'It feels strange, doesn't it?'

Strictly speaking, Kang Jin-Ho was not a member of the Assembly. He stood on the boundary separating the members and outsiders, with one foot in each zone. That was supposed to be Kang Jin-Ho's current position, but he still subtly felt this sense of belonging with the Assembly.

Kang Jin-Ho had been a demon cult member for decades, eventually reaching the position of the cult leader in the end. Even then, he never once felt like he belonged there.

One of the reasons for that was probably how he always viewed his second life as a dream, an unrealistic nightmare he was trapped in. The truth was, though... The demon cult didn't offer anything Kang Jin-Ho could be passionate about. From the get-go, many demon cult members were in hostile relationships with Kang Jin-Ho, and he eventually suppressed, subjugated, and destroyed those people through violence. He reached the cult leader's position with his strength alone, after all.

Kang Jin-Ho's relationship with the Martial Assembly also started on a similar footing. And he also resorted to using violence to subjugate it. His methods hadn't changed, in other words. So, what could be the explanation for this different feeling? What was the differentiating factor between then and now?

'...I can't figure it out.'

Things like feelings or moods were always subjective. No one should be capable of accurately analyzing this situation and conclusively pointing out the cause.

Kang Jin-Ho stood there in silence, studying the exterior of the Martial Assembly HQ, before climbing into his car.

One thing was for certain, though. Kang Jin-Ho didn't feel much of anything after learning about the destruction of the demon cult. However, he knew he'd not remain composed if the Martial Assembly was to meet the same fate. Even if he wasn't quite sure what this place meant to him.

'That is why I need to find the wounds and... cut them out!'

Kang Jin-Ho would never allow festering wounds to plague an organization he held dear! While putting on the seat belt, Kang Jin-Ho sensed several gazes flying in from somewhere to stab into his figure. A subtle smirk slowly formed on his lips.

'That's right. Reveal yourselves. Show me where you've been hiding all along! If you don't, this place will soon be dyed in THAT hue. If you want to prevent that, you better show up soon.'

However, it was still unknown whether those wounds could even stop Kang Jin-Ho.

He turned on the ignition and depressed the accelerator. His expensive car explosively accelerated forward and flew out of the Assembly HQ's grounds. Soon, he joined South Korea's national highway system.

Kang Jin-Ho slowly rubbed his forehead.

'Things have gotten busier...'

To be more specific, it wasn't busier per se, but more like Kang Jin-Ho felt somewhat overwhelmed. He couldn't help but think he was a bit out of his depths lately. Fighting a powerful enemy was all good and well, but the things requiring his attention right now were not about throwing punches and kicks around.

Truth be told, Kang Jin-Ho... never really paid attention to these kinds of things in all three of his lifetimes. This lack of experience, so to speak, was coming back to bite him, it seemed.

'I need to change, too.'

The modern era wasn't like gangho, where might could make everything right. To acquire the things he wanted in this era, Kang Jin-Ho needed to know more. He needed to be more hands-on and passionate.

Sitting still and doing nothing would get him nowhere. That sounded like an extremely obvious thing to say, but this truth sometimes put so much pressure on Kang Jin-Ho's shoulders.

Problems facing the Martial Assembly, issues with setting up the foundation and then trouble coming from abroad...

All these things combined to create intense pressure that was slowly crushing down on Kang Jin-Ho.

'I see. It's not that I'm busy, but...'

Kang Jin-Ho sank a little deeper into the driver's seat.

'...It's just that I'm fatigued.'

His physical body was maintaining peak condition, but his mind seemed to have accumulated a lot of fatigue and stress. Kang Jin-Ho thought he should just take a break without worrying about anything as soon as he reached home. It had been a while since he last had a break like that, after all.

As if someone out there knew about Kang Jin-Ho's state of mind, his phone suddenly began buzzing noisily.

“Yes, this is Kang Jin-Ho speaking.”

-What are you up to, Mister Jin-Ho?

Kang Jin-Ho frowned when Choi Yeon-Ha's voice came out of the phone. “Do you always ask that question without saying hello first?”

-Huh~? What's gotten into you today, sounding all abrasive and stuff? Are you in a bad mood for some reason? Or are you just tired?

“...?” Kang Jin-Ho cocked his brow. This woman, she... She had to be a fortune teller. Indeed, Kang Jin-Ho must be talking to a damn fortune teller right now! He only retorted her once, so how did Choi Yeon-Ha even come up with a response like that?

-Why aren't you saying anything, Mister Jin-Ho?

“No, it's... nothing. Forget about it.” Kang Jin-Ho quickly replied while inwardly swearing to himself to always watch what he said to this woman.

-Hnnng~? This is getting weird, no? Hang on, maybe you're seeing another woman?

“What? Of course not...!”

-I know that's not it, so you don't have to shout, Mister Jin-Ho.

It felt like all the overbearing weight of everything was thrown out the window. However, Kang Jin-Ho wasn't quite sure if that was a good thing or not. Still, vigor seemed to return to his body, which had been threatening to drift into a lethargic state.

When Kang Jin-Ho thought about it, Choi Yeon-Ha had always been like this, didn't she? Although her propensity for doing outrageous things was a little concerning, being with her energized Kang Jin-Ho for some weird reason. Maybe that was why hanging out with Choi Yeon-Ha was...

-Can't you just ask me something instead of dazedly not saying anything! Like, ask me how I'm doing or something! Did you drop the phone and go somewhere? This is why talking to you can be so... So bloody infuriating sometimes! Did you know that!

...Something Kang Jin-Ho dreaded?

Yes, that was right, he dreaded talking to this woman!

It felt like the reminiscence of the past refused to become gentrified and instead slapped Kang Jin-Ho in the face while yelling at him to wake the hell up.

“...Cough. Mm, how are things with you lately?”

-It's the absolute worst!

“...”

In that case, why did she demand him to ask that earlier? This woman... What was up with her?

Kang Jin-Ho suddenly remembered Choi Yeon-Ha's habits and nature just then. Now that he thought about it... Didn't he always get sucked into her pace whenever they were together?

“Is it because the filming has been difficult so far?”

-Well, there's that, but... How should I explain this? There are too many things to think about, and that's irritating the heck out of me? Something like that?

“I'm sorry?” Kang Jin-Ho cocked his brow. Wasn't he thinking about something similar just now...?

-Yes, that's what's been going on. I constantly have to worry about stuff I never even cared much about back in Korea.

“...Such as?”

-The water tastes weird here, and the food doesn't suit me. But it's not like I can't starve myself since I need to watch my figure. So... I've been forcing myself to eat snacks to maintain my weight, but... But! It's so humid here, and I get doubly irritated by this and that, and...!

“...”

Wasn't that more like Choi Yeon-Ha's poor personality was at fault rather than her environment...?

-Actually, I can overlook all of that. But what gets me all the time is how I gotta keep worrying about stuff during filming, you know?! Since every line is in Chinese, I constantly worry about pronouncing things right during intense emotional scenes, and then! And then, there's this thing to worry about, too! You know, like, historic costumes!

“Historic costumes?” Kang Jin-Ho tilted his head. What did costumes do this time?

-I have a pretty good idea on how the costumes should look in Korean historical dramas or stuff set in modern times, so I can adjust my clothes on the fly if I need to, but this is a Chinese production, right? So I can never be sure if my costumes or makeup are how they should be, and...! I have zero idea of how high my character's status was back in ancient China, so I can't even get the intonation right... Dammit! Talking about them is driving me even more nuts! Aaaargh! I'm definitely not happy about this, Mister Jin-Ho! Aaaaahk!

Kang Jin-Ho wordlessly distanced the phone from his ear. Heavy sighs leaked out of his mouth at the prospect of dealing with Choi Yeon-Ha. Especially when she was irritated enough to yell at no one in particular on the other side of the line!

“Well, if it's really that bad on that side, how about... calling it quits and coming home?”

-Wow. Are you even listening to what you're saying!?

“Eh?” N0vel_Biin hosted the premiere release of this chapter.

-Mister Jin-Ho, you have this one thing that puts my mind at ease. Can you guess what that is?

“...No, not really.”

-Even if a pretty girl approaches you after checking you out, talking to you for ten minutes is enough for her to get fed up and run away. That makes you incredibly safe, you know what I mean?

“...”

This... had to be an insult. No matter how hard Kang Jin-Ho thought about it, this had to be a thinly veiled insult!

-This has to be some kinda talent to only say things that a girl would hate to hear, you know? What we're asking from men is for you to just go with the flow and nod along, occasionally clapping your hands and stuff like that! I'm not looking for a solution, okay?

“...I don't understand why I have to do that, Mister Yeon-Ha.”

-No, Mister Jin-Ho. You don't have to do any of that stuff. Definitely don't do that to other girls, okay? Just maintain your status quo. At least, until I get back to Korea, that is!

Kang Jin-Ho frowned after failing to understand what Choi Yeon-Ha was even saying. While he was stewing in confusion, Choi Yeon-Ha's much calmer voice came out of his phone's speaker next.

-Yes, there are many things requiring my attention, and every day is a struggle, but... But the fulfillment I get is worth all that, Mister Jin-Ho. So, I'll do my best. If I keep my distance and do a sloppy job, only for the end product to be an unwatchable mess, I don't think I'll ever forgive myself. If I start thinking about how I should've paid a little more attention during that day's filming, and that would've given us a much better product... I wouldn't be able to go to bed while beating myself up, you know? Like, I'd be asking myself why I've been so lazy with my life just because I didn't want the extra stress...!

“...!” Kang Jin-Ho sucked in a deep breath as a pang of guilt announced itself in his heart.

-I'm not doing this just to make someone else happy, you know? It's all for my own benefit, so I shouldn't be moaning like this. Nothing in this world is for free, after all. The reward at the end of the day should match the effort I've put in, right?

“Yes, you're right.” Kang Jin-Ho slowly nodded. “Yes... That's how it's supposed to be.”

Choi Yeon-Ha was such a... strange person. She'd sometimes help Kang Jin-Ho out as if she was a fortune teller or something. Like right now. It was as if she had been watching him and taking notes all this time.

“Miss Yeon-Ha?”

-Yes?

“Thank you. I mean it.”

-W-what? Why so suddenly?

A panicked voice came from the phone's speaker. Choi Yeon-Ha's tone suddenly became so much shriller for some reason.

Kang Jin-Ho chuckled softly. “I'm actually driving right now, so I can't talk for long. How about I call you again later?”

-Wha? Don't answer the phone if you are driving, you dummy! Hurry and end the call now!

“Yes, ma'am.” Kang Jin-Ho chuckled while putting the phone down. Choi Yeon-Ha sure knew how to energize him through weird methods, didn't she?

'I guess... I should drop by her filming location soon.'

Kang Jin-Ho figured it'd be a good idea to travel to China after the dust settled down on this side. As he drove toward his home, Kang Jin-Ho's expression became a little more relaxed.

***

After parking the car in the garage, Kang Jin-Ho headed to the front gate to lock it. He was planning to get a good rest today, then...

That was when he sensed something.

“Excuse me, Mister Kang Jin-Ho?” An unfamiliar voice called out to him from behind the front gate.

Kang Jin-Ho wordlessly reopened the gate and stepped outside. He discovered a man kitted out in a smart business suit standing on the street, waiting.

Kang Jin-Ho's withdrawn eyes locked on this man.

The man bowed slightly. “Greetings to you, sir. My name is Zhang Dajing.”

“From China?”

“Yes, I am, Mister Kang Jin-Ho. And I'm here to deliver my master's message.”

Zhang Dajing's gaze met with Kang Jin-Ho's in mid-air.

Kang Jin-Ho narrowed his eyes. “Your master?”

“Yes,” Zhang Dajing nodded weightily. “And he's the one who will bring down the closing curtains on your chaotic life.”

A smile suddenly crept up on Kang Jin-Ho's lips. His head, filled with complicated thoughts and concerns until a second ago, instantly became lighter and clearer.

Kang Jin-Ho leisurely muttered at the Chinese man. “I don't know who your master is exactly, but... Now I have a message for him.”

Zhang Dajing's brows furrowed a little in puzzlement.

“Since he's come all this way to kindly die by my hands, I'm grateful for his thoughtfulness.”

As the eerie moonlight cast on him, Kang Jin-Ho bared his fangs in a cruel smirk.

A smirk that sent deathly chills down Zhang Dajing's spine!