Chapter 555. Maintenance (5)

This scene was somewhat... bizarre.

They were on perhaps the most bustling street in the country. And on this busy street, a giant was solemnly bowing his head on one knee. And the handsome youth standing before him was relaxedly accepting that noble yet strange greeting.

It was as if the clock had rewound to the ancient era, and those two people were characters from a historical play. That was the impression the passersby and spectators got.

Slightly strange, yet also antiquated—that was what this spectacle looked like. Anyone observing it through the lens of normalcy should've been puzzled by this sight, but no one here thought that right now.

The sheer oppressive pressure gushing out of Vator had already blown away all semblance of oddness in people's brains.

“Arise,” the relaxed Kang Jin-Ho issued a command. Vator heeded the order and stood up without question or hesitation.

Whether it was Kang Jin-Ho or Vator... Neither man seemed perturbed by this development. Only Zhang Dajing felt deeply disturbed by what he could see.

Zhang Dajing couldn't even think about the significance of this situation. No, he was already having a difficult time trying to process this cruel disharmony swirling in his head!

“...Mister Kang Jin-Ho,” Zhang Dajing quietly called out, his burning eyes glaring straight at Kang Jin-Ho. Despite the sharp glare, though, Kang Jin-Ho didn't even bat an eyelid. Zhang Dajing slowly chewed his words out. “Do you mind if I demand an explanation?”

Maybe, he was doing something beyond his station. Zhang Dajing was well aware of his position in this world. A weakling in the martial world received a different type of treatment from the powerless and voiceless of the surface world. Zhang Dajing wouldn't be aggrieved even if Kang Jin-Ho killed him right here, right now, for his insolence. This was why he had been so moved by how Vator treated him.

However, Zhang Dajing didn't have the mental leeway to consider all the finer points at the moment. After all, he was barely holding back his urge to pounce on Kang Jin-Ho right now! Even though he knew it'd be his instant death!

Politely demanding an explanation like this was the best he could do within the limits of his patience.

“Mm. This isn't a good place for that, so...” Kang Jin-Ho pointed at the cafe. “I'll buy the drinks.”

“...Very much obliged, then,” Zhang Dajing replied with as much snarkiness as he could muster.

However, Kang Jin-Ho brushed that aside with a slight chuckle and walked toward the cafe first.

Zhang Dajing groaned softly and was about to set off as well, only for a bone-chilling voice to hit him in the eardrums. “Zhang Dajing!”

“...Sir Vator?”

“I've warned you not to be rude toward my master.”

“Sir Vator...! Just... Just why are you doing this! Why...”

“This is your final warning. Ignore my advice one more time, and I will not hold myself back anymore. Do not forget that this is my last act of mercy toward you.”

Zhang Dajing's expression crumpled hideously as he glared at the back of Kang Jin-Ho's back, the urge to kill bubbling in his heart. 'I... I'll kill you!'

How dare a human manipulate his fellow human like this? This kind of act should never be allowed!

Zhang Dajing chased after Kang Jin-Ho in harsh, angry steps.

***

Kang Jin-Ho was grinning slightly, although it wasn't solely because this situation was enjoyable to him.

Vator was fidgeting ungainly while sitting on a chair obviously too small for his butt. Meanwhile, the glass cup in front of him looked like a miniature from a children's toy set.

That was what was so amusing to Kang Jin-Ho. When looking at Vator, it was as if this place was Lilliput. Like Gulliver ungainly stumbling his way through a world way too small for his size, everything in Vator's surroundings simply didn't fit his impressive physique.

“S-sir, here is our store's largest chair,” A waiter hurriedly brought out a massive chair. Vator nodded and switched to this new chair.

“Hmm. If it's this...” Vator muttered, still looking somewhat uncomfortable. At least his bum fit in this one, so he should be more or less satisfied with this situation. Although, an expert like Vator wouldn't have any problem maintaining any posture for two hours straight, so a chair wasn't strictly necessary.

“...Can you tell me what happened to Sir Vator?” Zhang Dajing leaned forward and asked, thereby destroying this slightly silly atmosphere. He demanded an explanation as if he had become Vator's official guardian.

Even though he was acting beyond his station, Kang Jin-Ho chose not to overlook it. Status-wise, Zhang Dajing did not have the qualification, but Kang Jin-Ho still remembered how this man was ready to sacrifice himself to save Vator.

If someone Kang Jin-Ho cared about suffered a similar fate, he'd have acted the same as Zhang Dajing.

“Well, it's as you can see,” Kang Jin-Ho casually shrugged his shoulders.

“Mister Kang, that's not an adequate enough explanation!”

Kang Jin-Ho smirked softly. “I'm not sure why you want my explanation when you have already figured out what's going on here. Or maybe you haven't? If you know, why do you need me to confirm it?”

“...!” Zhang Dajing clamped his mouth shut. 'Goddamn it!'

Kang Jin-Ho was right. Zhang Dajing wasn't an idiot, so he could guess why Vator was behaving this way. Kang Jin-Ho obviously had done something, so why was Zhang Dajing demanding an explanation now?

He knew why, though. It was his lingering baseless hope. His hope of making Kang Jin-Ho spit out a way to change Vator back to normal had created this situation.

Zhang Dajing sucked in a deep breath. “Can Sir Vator be turned back?”

“It's not impossible.”

“Meaning, as long as you release him?”

Kang Jin-Ho silently nodded.

“Is this... the payment for the sin you spoke about?” Zhang Dajing asked in a pained voice.

Another smirk floated up on Kang Jin-Ho's lips. “If you thought something as simple as death would pay for his sin, all I can say is how stupid you are. My bad, but death holds very little significance to me. Not just mine but others, too. So, he should pay for his sin through something else that doesn't involve dying.”

Zhang Dajing shuddered in indignation. Wasn't this... Wasn't this...!

“Isn't this too cruel, Mister Kang?”

“What is?”

“To think Sir Vator must live on as your puppet without free will! This is undoubtedly too cruel, sir!”

Kang Jin-Ho narrowed his eyes and stared at Zhang Dajing. “How odd.”

“...?”

“The significance of death in your view must be different from mine, so wouldn't it be better to live on as a slave rather than die?”

“No, sir. Some things are worse than death. I guarantee you that Sir Vator would unhesitantly choose death if his other option is to become your slave. Isn't that why you suppressed Sir Vator like this? Because you also knew this?”

“Well, that's true,” Kang Jin-Ho nodded, choosing not to deny it.

That didn't mean he suddenly thought he had gone too far, though. No, Kang Jin-Ho felt that this was the appropriate punishment. A crime required a fitting punishment, even if it was worse than death!

“Does this mean Sir Vator will be like this for the rest of his life...?”

Kang Jin-Ho shook his head. “I'm not thinking of keeping him that long. Probably a few years at most.”

“A few... years...” Zhang Dajing frowned slightly. What a vague reply that was. Other than the duration not exceeding a decade, that reply revealed nothing concrete. All Zhang Dajing could do at this point was hold his face.

He couldn't figure out why he felt so pained like this. Objectively speaking, Zhang Dajing's relationship with Vator should've ended when the big man lost to Kang Jin-Ho.

If Vator's condition was perfectly fine, he'd have returned to his home country immediately. And Zhang Dajing would've remained in Korea to continue working as the Crimson King's agent. In that case, what was his actual connection to Vator, then? Why was he so heartbroken with this situation?

Zhang Dajing's head was busy yelling at him to back off now, to leave this thing alone. But his heart refused to listen.

“...So, are you planning to lord over Sir Vator as if he's your personal slave? Now that he's been brainwashed?”

Kang Jin-Ho tilted his head. “Do I have a reason to explain anything to you?”

“...!” Zhang Dajing clamped his mouth shut again. He then carefully turned his head and glanced at Vator. The big man was glaring back as if he didn't like Zhang Dajing's combative attitude while talking to Kang Jin-Ho.

'Sir Vator...!'

If a close acquaintance who was perfectly healthy suddenly became an idiot... Would the pain you felt be this heavy? Zhang Dajing's hands shivered uncontrollably when he realized that Vator's spirit of martial arts, once so strong and noble, had become Kang Jin-Ho's plaything.

Kang Jin-Ho suddenly spoke up. “Maybe it'll be sooner than you think. If Vator becomes stronger, my hold on him will weaken, after all.”

Maybe he did it out of whim or genuinely felt a bit sorry for the poor Zhang Dajing. No one knew why he said that, but it was enough to bring the flicker of hope back in Zhang Dajing's eyes.

“It means... your hold on Sir Vator isn't omnipotent.”

“That's the story for all martial arts, isn't it?”

“However, can you really call this martial art? Not sorcery?”

“Do you think the so-called sorcery isn't a part of martial arts?” Kang Jin-Ho smirked derisively. “What do you think martial arts are? It's a collection of techniques meant to defeat your enemies. If you wish to argue about what's fair and square, why don't you tell everyone involved to put down their weapons first?”

“...!” Zhang Dajing clamped his mouth shut yet again.

“This is as far as my mercy extends. Now, you shall deliver my message to your Crimson King. Tell him that I'll make good use of Vator. And when I don't have any uses for him, I will... release him. However, I can't guarantee that Vator will still be in one piece by then. I know I'm temporarily borrowing him, but my situation means I don't have the leeway to be cautious, you see?”

Kang Jin-Ho got up to leave, which prompted Vator to stand up as well as if he wanted to follow his master.The initial posting of this chapter occurred via N0v3l.B1(j)n.

“P-please wait!” Zhang Dajing hurriedly called out in alarm. If he let Vator go like this, Kang Jin-Ho would keep his word and ruthlessly use the big man. Since he had suppressed Vator's free will, did Kang Jin-Ho have a reason to hold back? Of course not.

Even if Vator died while doing Kang Jin-Ho's bidding, that damn devil wouldn't even bat an eyelid! When Zhang Dajing's mind raced to this point, he suddenly became aware of what he needed to do.

“P-please, take me with you.”

Kang Jin-Ho cocked an eyebrow in suspicion. “You? Really?”

Even Zhang Dajing himself couldn't quite understand why he had blurted those words out. Even so, he had to nod. He replied as his expression crumpled in anguish. “...Yes, Mister Kang. Please take me as well.”

A hint of amusement began creeping up on Kang Jin-Ho's expression as he studied Zhang Dajing's face. “And why should I do that?”

“Because it will be more beneficial to you.”

“How come?”

Zhang Dajin sighed softly. “Sir Vator is a wise person. However, he can also be reckless and foolhardy at times. Especially now, in his current condition. Now that he's being ruled by the unstoppable urge to carry out your command, Sir Vator's behavior will become even more reckless.”

“Hmm...” Kang Jin-Ho slowly rubbed his chin as he sat back down.

“In that case, you will have to accompany Sir Vator at all times to restrict him. But that won't be an efficient usage of your time or Sir Vator's abilities.”

“So... You want to take up on that role, is that it?”

“Yes, Mister Kang,” Zhang Dajing resolutely nodded. “Fortunately, Sir Vator still holds a high opinion of me. I don't know why he thinks I'm special, but...”

Zhang Dajing bit his lip and hesitated slightly before finishing what he originally wanted to say.

“I can utilize that point to your advantage. I can guide Sir Vator in a more productive way.”

“I get it now. That doesn't mean I get why you want to do this, though. There's nothing in it for you, so why go so far?”

“...However!” Zhang Dajing's burning glare locked on Kang Jin-Ho. “Once Sir Vator...! No, once we have done enough for your cause, you must honor your word by letting Sir Vator go free. And while he's under your wings, you must treat Sir Vator as your fellow human being. If you give me your word that you'll honor these two promises, I will even offer you my soul!”

Zhang Dajing's hostile glare tried to burn into Kang Jin-Ho's face. Those eyes were filled with nothing but rage and hatred! However, Kang Jin-Ho's mood improved from that glare instead.

'That's cool.'

Loyalty, was it...? That sentiment didn't really suit Zhang Dajing's situation, but... Even so, any man watching and listening should feel moved by the hidden power of this emotion.

“Very well,” Kang Jin-Ho nodded, thinking that the right thing to do now was to respond accordingly. “However, there's this one thing we must clarify first before we can move on.”

“I see. Please ask, Mister Kang.”

Kang Jin-Ho leaned forward and asked, his face more serious than ever before. “How much am I supposed to pay you as your salary, then?”

“...”

“...?”

It seemed Kang Jin-Ho was slowly but surely opening his eyes to the intricacies of running a business!