Chapter 287
Im Hyuk-Jun, Song Song, Butler Kim, and I all stood in the hospital room.
Yet, when Lee Jeong-Ryong entered the room, his eyes settled with piercing intent on a singular figure.
Mr. Choi.
"You've grown a lot."
"...!"
The air seemed to still as Lee Jeong-Ryong's voice cut through the silence.
This was it. The secret Mr. Choi had been hiding.
Their relationship seemed closer than mere professional acquaintances.
'From what I know, Mr. Choi was part of the Ares Guild for roughly three or four years.'
At best, his earliest encounter with Lee Jeong-Ryong would have been in his early twenties. Such a remark, suggesting substantial growth, was more apt for a child, not a man of his age.
It's the kind of remark you'd hear from your parents' friends or relatives during holidays.
"It's been a while. Vice Guild Master Lee Jeong-Ryong."
With his stiff title and tone, Lee Jeong-Ryong eyes glimmered with a curious light,
"Vice Guild Master, huh? When you were little, you used to call me 'grandfather'." [Note: the term "grandfather" here is purely an affectionate term and does not signify an actual familial bond. It is similar to how Im Hyuk-Jun's children call the MC "Uncle Tae-Kyung" even though the MC and Im Hyuk-Jun are not brothers.]
Grandfather?
It was the second shock. For a moment, I wondered if perhaps this really was his relative? But I quickly dismissed the thought.
It must be a term of endearment from a bygone era. Surely, Lee Jeong-Ryong was not his actual grandfather.
'Looks like they had a close relationship since Mr. Choi was young.'
Their relationship was evidently deep and intricate.
As astonishment rippled through the room, only Butler Kim and the ever-poised Mr. Choi remained unaffected by the currents.
"That was twenty years ago."
"How time flies. Who would've thought that the affectionate little boy would change this much."
"As time passes, I see things I didn't see before."
"I did receive a report last year that you had resigned. Come to think of it, I haven't seen you since you joined the guild. I kind of missed you."
Lee Jeong-Ryong mused, though his features betrayed no hint of the sentimentality his words might imply. Mr. Choi's reply mirrored the same detachment,
"I feel the same. If you hadn't given me only overseas assignments, we could have seen each other more often.”
"Didn't you like the overseas branch?"
“I felt it wasn't where I belonged. That's all."
"Not where you belong…"
"Isn't that the outcome you wanted, Vice Guild Master?"
"Are you saying that I sent you on those assignments to get rid of you?"
Lee Jeong-Ryong chuckled, a glint of amusement in his eyes.
"So, did you start a new nest? Even going as far as borrowing someone else's name?"
"I apologize for interrupting, but..."
Butler Kim, who had been a silent observer, suddenly spoke up. His voice was as calm as ever.
"Young master and I left together."
"What? Who is this?"
Lee Jeong-Ryong feigned astonishment, his eyes widening theatrically.
The charade was transparent. If he recognized Mr. Choi, he surely would recognize Butler Kim, who was Mr. Choi's closest confidant.
"Kim Hwa-Jong? Is it Hwa-Jong?"
"It's been a while, Sunbae."
With no hint of reticence, Butler Kim accepted the proffered hand. Their handshake, paired with muted smiles, was a silent testament to their shared history.
'Informal speech? And calling him Sunbae?'
Putting aside the nature of their connection, it was clear that their rapport was more intimate than I first guessed.
"It's good you came. The last time we met was... about 20 years ago?"
"Exactly 18 years. Eighteen."
Was it my imagination, or did he seem to emphasize certain words?
A quick glance at Song Song and Im Hyuk-Jun confirmed they were visibly shaken, as if they had seen a ghost. [Note: Butler Kim is usually the epitome of composure and decorum, but his demeanor undergoes a stark transformation in this chapter. His angry and borderline rude manner of dealing with Lee Jeong-Ryong deviates sharply with his usual conduct. This is why Song Song and Mr. Rough Guy look so shaken here.]
'Ah, it wasn't just my imagination.'
They were closer than I thought. I must be blind.
To be exact, Butler Kim didn't just have a close relationship with Lee Jeong-Ryong; he seemed to dislike him.
Yet, Lee Jeong-Ryong maintained his amiable facade as he spoke.
"Hwa-Jong, I thought you had become wiser while we were parted, but it seems your guts have grown stronger too."
It was a loaded statement. Despite the weight of Lee Jeong-Ryong's insinuations, however, Butler Kim's gaze did not waver.
"When one finds peace of mind, they become wiser."
"Peace of mind?"
"After rescuing Young Master from the tiger's jaws, I felt relieved. As for my guts, they have always been strong."
"Hahaha! That's right. Once you set your mind to something, you never cared about the consequences. Thanks to that fearless nature, I too had a brush with death."
"I remember. The Han River."
"Yes, the Han River. The day Mapo Bridge collapsed. You still remember it, Hwa-Jong."
"I think about and regret it whenever I get a chance. If I hadn't saved you back then, this situation wouldn't have arisen."
Let me correct myself again. It isn't mere dislike that Butler Kim harbors for Lee Jeong-Ryong.
It is a profound loathing, deep-seated enough to fantasize about his death.
Though he doesn't wield a sword, his tongue is sharp as a blade.
At the sting of his words, Seok Go-Jun, who had thus far stood rigidly behind Lee Jeong-Ryong, edged forward with a steely resolve.
"Mind your tongue."
"Mind my tongue?"
"He's not someone you can address so carelessly."
Butler Kim's eyes scrutinized Seok Go-Jun with a peculiar look.
"From a brief look, you seem quite skilled. Hunter, what's your name?"
"I'm Seok Go-Jun, in charge of the Vice Guild Master's security."
"I see. Team Leader Seok Go-Jun."
Butler Kim acknowledged, his rich baritone tapering off into a murmur.
"If you've said your piece, then shut up and stand back. It's not your place to intervene."
"......!"
Seok Go-Jun's typically impassive features calcified further, a telltale vein throbbing on his temple in silent indignation.
Amidst the tension, a soft laugh from Lee Jeong-Ryong coaxed him to recede.
"I thought you'd become gentler with age... but that temper of yours remains. Indeed, this is the Kim Hwa-Jong I know."
"If we're talking about having a nasty temper, I'd say I have to fold a few hands against you, wouldn't I?" [Note: "Fold a few hands against you" is a poker term used here metaphorically.]
Mr. Choi's voice sliced through the mounting tension with icy precision.
"Let's cease the pointless chatter and get to the main point."
Who among the throngs of Korea, or the broader world, could address Lee Jeong-Ryong with such audacious candor?
The tumult of their exchange left Mr. Rough Guy and Song Song slack-jawed.
Particularly striking was the way that Butler Kim acted now. Even I, who had witnessed his curt dismissal of Sangdong Guild Master Im Chun-Soo as if swatting away a stray dog, was taken aback.
'What on earth happened?'
Both Mr. Choi and Butler Kim were not their usual selves.
"One is young and hasty, and the other still hasn't let go of his youthful temper. Well, it's not bad to get to the main point now. It's a pity, as I was invited here to begin with."
"You say you were invited?"
"You're mistaken. No one among us invited the Vice Guild Master."
"Think about it. There should be one person, right?"
Lee Jeong-Ryong's gaze, having mirthfully danced between the two previous speakers, abruptly shifted to me.
"That friend there."
An immediate silence fell over the room.
With the weight of the room's attention bearing down, I opened my mouth.
"What bullshit is this?"
No sooner had I finished speaking than Seok Go-Jun growled threateningly. He seemed poised to charge like a hunting dog if Lee Jeong-Ryong hadn't given a dismissive shake of his head.
Lee Jeong-Ryong addressed me, his tone laden with both a challenge and a charm.
"Weren't you the one? You came forward and said you wanted me to apologize to the victim."
"Ah."
I had indeed uttered those words, but directed towards Park Ji-Hwang and Park Tae-Seop.
"You look as if you never expected me to come."
"That's true, to be honest. What's your game in coming all the way here?"
"You have a tendency to speak without thinking. Shouldn't you be thanking me for accepting the invitation?"
Thanking you?
A hollow laugh escaped me, bitter and tinged with irony. The proposition seemed so absurd that I didn't even consider a response.
"Even if your words are twisted, speak straight. It wasn't an invitation; it was a demand for an apology."
"Wrong. If I hadn't wanted to come here, could you or the Peace Guild have made me move even an inch?"
"That's…"
"Didn't you think the same? You never thought I'd come."
It felt like a bucket of cold water had been thrown over me. I was at a loss for words.
Everything he said was true.
Even though my heart was crying out in anger and seeking revenge, I hadn't truly expected Lee Jeong-Ryong to show up. The realistic part of my brain had come to a compromise.
Lee Jeong-Ryong, the de facto leader of the Ares Guild, was still beyond my reach.
"Demanding is the right of the powerful. The weak can never 'demand' from the strong. It's all requests and invitations."
"......!"
"That's why I accepted the invitation. No matter what weakness of mine you grab and shake, that fact won't change. Because I am Lee Jeong-Ryong. I am the Ares Guild, and the Ares Guild is me."
At his steady yet powerful voice, we were left speechless.
One thing became clear. Lee Jeong-Ryong's presence was not an act of contrition.
With the chasm of power lying stark and unbridgeable, his smile unfurled, a clear signal of victory as he savored the influence he held.
"A guest should be welcomed with due respect, particularly one who arrives bearing gifts for the patient, wouldn't you agree, Team Leader Seok?"
"Yes, Vice Guild Master."
Seok Go-Jun, his voice a hollow echo of obedience, swung the door open. A hulking bodyguard from the security entourage who had been biding time outside stepped in and deposited an offering upon the table.
A vase bursting with the soft brilliance of countless lilies, accompanied by an envelope.
"It's a consolation gift. If the amount is insufficient, tell me how much more you need."
My eyes lingered on the lilies, their ivory petals gleaming with an unsettling purity. While I was never particularly fond of flowers, I never disliked them either.
This was the first time I ever felt dirty looking at a gift of flowers.
'A condolence gift of lilies.' [Note: lilies, specifically, are a symbol of innocence and rebirth. In my opinion, this could be taken as either Lee Jeong-Ryong is trying to say that he is sorry and innocent of being involved in the attack, or he is mocking the reattachment of Im Hyuk-Jun's arms as a "rebirth".]
A forgotten anger began to seethe within me.
Massaging the mounting tension at the nape of my neck, I could not help but mutter,
"I've never seen such a damned old man..."
For the first time, Seok Go-Jun's facade cracked. His fist, unleashed with a roar of indignation, sliced through the air towards me at a blinding speed.
Smack!
With a chilling sound, blood splattered.
I slowly cranked my head back to its rightful place, the tang of blood painting my tongue.
"Shit. I bit my tongue."
Seok Go-Jun's eyes bulged, his gaze ricocheting from his fist to my face in bewilderment.
"How?"
"I'm quite resilient. I drank a lot of milk when I was a kid."
"But I was sure I infused it with mana..."
Had his fist been covered with Qi, I wouldn't even be able stand. [Note: It seems that infusing a physical attack with mana/Qi serves only as an internal boost. External Qi auras, like Sword Qi, require specific martial techniques. Therefore, it appears Seok Go-Jun's fist wasn't enveloped in a Qi aura.]
Of course, if that were the case, I wouldn't have deliberately taken the hit.
I smirked at him.
"You should've given it your all. So it could end in one hit."
Whoosh!
"Huff!"
Drawing a short breath, Seok Go-Jun reached out to deflect my arm with a speed incomparable to that of an average A-rank Hunter.
His hand arched like a hook, aiming for my wrist.
'This really is Geumnasu.' [Note: Geumnasu is a Chinese grabbing technique used to break joints. This is the same technique that Park Ji-Hwang used in novel chapter 282 when he grabbed the MC's wrist at the beginning of their fight.]
Recalling the surprise I felt when facing Park Ji-Hwang, I smoothly twisted my wrist, evading his grasp.
The air hissed as I deftly captured his wrist mid-flight, and with the same fluidity, I invoked the Thousand-Catty Press, anchoring my heel atop his foot.
Crunch!
“Kuk!”
Seok Go-Jun's foot was driven deep into the unyielding concrete. Clutching his arm in agony, he instinctively raised it to guard his face.
What a weak defense.
"Do you think that's enough?"
One thing was certain. While I had chosen not to dodge, Seok Go-Jun could not dodge.
Smash!
The fist I planted squarely in the middle of his face broke his nose instantly and sent him reeling back.
Blood splattered and a white tooth flew out of his gaping mouth.
Thud.
"You damn bastard, where did you learn to sucker punch like that?" [Note: this line of dialogue is from the MC.]
"......!"
The rapid turn of events left everyone in the room stunned.
“You bastard...”
Lee Jeong-Ryong's voice, always serene, was now laced with a tremor of unrest. A storm brewed in his eyes.
Seizing control of the situation, I spoke with pointed clarity.
"I should mention, it was self-defense."
But what followed was a question loaded with implications no one saw coming.
"What is your relationship with my Hyung?"
"Excuse me? Who are you talking about?"
"The one who taught you that move."
"The one who taught me that move......”
My eyes widened. Was this old man referring to the martial arts?
Yet my revelation was lost to the void, as Lee Jeong-Ryong's attention was ensnared by an emotion-laden gaze towards Team Leader Choi.
"Did So-Young have another man?"
I didn't know who this 'So-Young' was.
The name 'So-Young' hung in the air, a silent detonator in the midst of a powder keg.
Team Leader Choi’s fist tensed, a tempest of emotion brewing, while from Butler Kim’s eyes sparked an inferno of azure fire.
"Sunbae, do you want to die?"
"Answer me."
"You bastard, Lee Jeong-Ryong!"
"Give me an answer. Now."
In this moment, the sealed lips of Mr. Choi parted, a taut string of silence finally snapping.
"Don't you know better than me what kind of relationship they had?"
"If that's the case, how did that brat…"
"You must've already looked into Jin Tae-Kyung."
"So, you're saying everything is true?"
"It's exactly as you know. Not a single falsehood."
A flicker of unrest danced in Lee Jeong-Ryong's eyes.
His gaze ping-ponged between myself and Mr. Choi, before he swiveled, pacing toward the exit. At the threshold, he paused, his departure punctuated with a clipped order.
"I'll send someone soon. Hand over the guys you have once the negotiation ends." [Note: "the guys you have" are the Black Hunters and the Myeongdong Guild employee that Mr. Choi detained earlier.]
With a clang, the door closed, with the last person being the security team Hunter carrying Seok Go-Jun. The tempest of Lee Jeong-Ryong's presence had swept through and beyond, leaving a deceptive calm.
My gaze lingered on the steadfast door before I ventured a query to Mr. Choi.
"Who is So-Young?"
"She is my mother."
"......Excuse me?"
"The mother who gave birth to me and raised me. She passed away a long time ago."
A breath hitched in my throat involuntarily.
Lee Jeong-Ryong, this mad old man. Asking a child if his deceased mother had an affair while she was alive.
"That's crazy. Why would he... ah, never mind. You don't have to answer."
"It seems that Vice Guild Master Lee Jeong-Ryong was deeply shocked. I never thought he would be so direct."
Shocked wouldn't quite capture it. I motioned dismissively with my hand.
"Look, Team Leader, it's really okay. I don't need to know."
"Sometimes, I wonder. What if my mother wasn't born as Cheon Tae-Min's daughter but as someone else?"
"I get it, so let's drop it now..."
Suddenly, I froze.
'What did he just say?'
Rooted in place, my mind spun, ensnared by a trio of words that reverberated with significance.
Cheon Tae-Min. Cheon Tae-Min. Cheon Tae-Min...
"Did you just say Cheon Tae-Min?"
"If I pronounced it correctly, then you heard right."
"Could it be... the Cheon Tae-Min I know of?"
"Yes."
Mr. Choi nodded, continuing.
"He's my maternal grandfather."
For a moment, my vision blurred and my legs wobbled.
'Cheon Tae-Min. He said Cheon Tae-Min.'
There was a time I had wondered about Mr. Choi's true identity.
His immeasurable talent, the esteem with which the A-rank mage referred to him as 'Young Master,' his obscured yet pivotal role in the Great Cataclysm.
Now I understand how all those feats were possible.
It's because his maternal grandfather was Cheon Tae-Min.
'The great hero produced by humanity. The world's top Hunter...’
Among the descriptors for Cheon Tae-Min, the title 'Ares Guild Master' is just a small piece.
His true acclaim was etched in a feat of unparalleled valor, a legacy undimmed by time.
'The vanquisher of the Demon King. The Slayer.'
The grandson of Cheon Tae-Min stood before me.
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Tags:
Murim Login (Novel)