Cruelty
The situation had changed.
He had intended to track down everyone connected to Yeodre and beat them half to death, but that was no longer the priority. Before he could even issue the orders, that madman was running wild everywhere.
'His capacity for action is simply too high.'
It wasn’t just that he was proactive; he was leaving a trail of scorched earth everywhere he went. The locations important to the Shin Jin-seung clan were still safe for now, but there was no telling how long that would last.
'To be pushed into a corner by a mere brat. It feels completely surreal, but...'
He had to deal with this as soon as possible, before things spiraled out of control. To make matters worse, the woman who had been horrified by the corpses in the auditorium—Rachel—was currently receiving some kind of communication.
Shin Jin-seung guessed she must have heard about Yeodre.
'Once that woman finds out, taking Yeodre’s acquaintances hostage will be difficult.'
Shin Jin-seung had always been willing to take hostages whenever it was outside Rachel’s scope of awareness, but now that she had identified Yeodre, the story was different. Even if he forced the issue to secure hostages, he would be blocked by Rachel’s influence. It might have been an option later, but doing it now would be an act of a fool.
A troublesome woman. Shin Jin-seung clicked his tongue. Even though he had become an absolute power in Korea, he couldn't treat the woman before him—a figure who seemed like a character from a movie, active all over the world—with anything less than caution.
However, the nature of this annoyance was slightly different from usual. If his previous irritation was fueled by the sentiment of facing a "sole enemy," this felt more like a simple, bothersome obstacle.
'What a joke.'
To think that a high school student, barely the age of his own son, would be more annoying than Rachel. On the other hand, he found that fact amusing.
"Hey. Shin Jin-seung. Where is your son right now?"
"Hahaha. Using informal speech? How rude of you."
"Is this the time for jokes?"
Judging by her tone, she seemed to have a rough idea of what was happening to Shin Jin-seung. On the other hand, the look of disbelief on her face suggested that Rachel, too, had no major connection to Yeodre.
'Just in case, should I probe her?'
Shin Jin-seung spoke with a smile.
"So, you’ve finally started to act boldly."
"Have I ever been anything but bold?"
"Even so, to think you’d go as far as hiring a kid like that to drag me down... and of all people, you."
"......"
Rachel did not answer. It wasn't an affirmation.
It was merely a meaningful bluff to keep Shin Jin-seung from judging her, and Shin Jin-seung became certain that she was entirely unrelated to what Yeodre was currently doing. She probably thought what was happening to him was just an attack by an "unidentified man."
'Unbelievable.'
To think she had absolutely no connection to Yeodre. Then, what on earth was that brat—no, that individual—relying on to run so wild? There was something even more mysterious. Despite all this rampaging, he hadn't been identified by any faction other than those who already knew him.
While he was suppressing the police to some extent, how could it make sense that Rachel, who possessed an intelligence network that made the police look like amateurs, didn't know who he was? Was this even possible? No. It was impossible.
It was a series of coincidences piled upon coincidences, a path that seemed divinely assisted. It deserved to be called heavenly luck.
'Is heaven helping evil?'
As if it were sending him a training partner. Thinking that, he found himself laughing.
"What are you laughing at?"
Just as she spat those words out, a ringtone chimed at the perfect moment.
Beep-beep-beep.
"...That ringtone sounds incredibly old-fashioned."
"I am actually quite old. Shouldn't you also admit that you're an old-timer yourself?"
Shin Jin-seung retorted lightly and checked the caller. ...It was an unknown number. It wasn't a restricted caller ID, either. The phone he had pulled out was his personal one, not his work phone. This was a number known to only a very select few. Sensing something, Shin Jin-seung answered.
"Hello."
[Hello.]
'A young man?'
For a split second, Shin Jin-seung felt the impression of a child enjoying a new toy.
BANG!
However, the sound of a gunshot from the other side of the receiver shattered that impression in an instant. Shin Jin-seung was speechless, let out a soft groan, and then laughed.
"Hahaha. You seem very busy?"
[I am. You certainly know a lot of different people.]
"I do know many people. But who might you be?"
[The person who is going to kill you and your daughter.]
Shin Jin-seung flinched. How on earth did this bastard know about the relationship between Su-ryeon and himself? Was he just guessing? No, his tone was one of absolute certainty.
...Could Shin Jin-pa have told him?
'No. Unless that guy went insane...'
A guy who feared him and cherished Su-ryeon would talk? But for a moment, he thought that if the opponent was this guy, it might actually be possible.
As soon as he thought that, he felt a terrifying sense of displeasure. Was he, the King, acknowledging a man of his son's age in his heart? It was unpleasant, deeply unpleasant, so he decided to make the guy on the other end of the phone feel unpleasant as well.
"My name is Shin Jin-seung. I also knew your father, ' '."
[......]
Drae was silent for a moment, then laughed.
[I have something to tell you.]
"What is it?"
[If you can, please make sure the police can't find me.]
For a moment, he was puzzled. At this stage, was he afraid of something like the police?
'No, that can't be it.'
Then what was the reason? Although he felt a bit humiliated, Shin Jin-seung, unable to overcome his curiosity, asked.
"Why?"
[Because I'd feel bad if I killed innocent police officers who showed up in the wrong place, right?]
"......"
Did he hear that right? Shin Jin-seung was dumbfounded.
"Is that really the reason?"
[What else would it be? Seeing how you've been blocking the police until now, you seem to hate others interfering, so just do that.]
"And if I refuse?"
[Then I can't help it. I'll just have to keep going while bearing the guilt.]
A madman. Shin Jin-pa laughed.
"What do I gain if I grant that request?"
[I'll torture you a little less.]
"Hahahahaha."
This time, Shin Jin-seung laughed to his heart's content. He had never met a bastard like this in his entire life.
"Fine, let's do that. As you said, student, I don't like those people interfering either. But, student."
The man of power grinned.
"What should I do if your friends interfere?"
[Do whatever you want with them.]
An immediate response.
[My heart might ache, but you're not the type to stop just because I ask you to. Still, if you touch them, well... I'll have to make you suffer several times more than I originally planned.]
"Hmm."
At this point, he couldn't tell if this guy was bold or just stupid. Did he even understand the difference in power between their factions?
[And shouldn't you be careful right now, too? You have a scary older sister next to you, don't you?]
"......"
Shin Jin-seung fell silent.
'Could it be... Rachel Han didn't arrive here on her own, but was led here by this guy?'
Or had he simply misjudged the character of a person like Rachel, and she was connected to this guy?
'No, that is absolutely not it.'
He had investigated Rachel thoroughly, as much as he had considered her a nuisance; even if she looked violent on the outside, she was ultimately a slave to justice. She would never condone this kind of massacre.
Shin Jin-seung made a judgment about Yeodre. He was definitely not the type of idiot who would throw away his own future, nor was he lacking in intelligence.
To define him in one word: a bold bastard. He liked him. Born into the ruling class, as his power grew, had there ever been anyone in Shin Jin-seung's life who could be called a rival?
After obtaining Su-ryeon, he had placed even the same ruling class under his feet and was gradually conquering the power-holders of other countries; had he ever felt a sense of crisis even once?
Definitely not. Even Rachel was nothing more than a bothersome existence, not a threat. He was a fresh specimen. That was why he wanted to possess him. This man, who possessed the Mad Luck where heaven itself assisted his massacres.
"Student. Would you like to hear a proposal?"
[Yes, yes. Please go ahead.]
BANG!
Where on earth was he running wild? The King even began to find this situation, where a brat was invading his territory, amusing.
"I will raise you with all my might, and let you have everything you want."
A subtle, desire-filled voice. Kang Gu-jin was so surprised to see him like that for the first time in a while that the anger he had been emitting, assuming the person on the phone was Yeodre, subsided in an instant.
"Become my subordinate. Then I will forget everything that has happened so far, and I will take responsibility for eliminating any harm that comes to you."
[Hmm~]
A groan that sounded intrigued. Shin Jin-seung waited for an answer. And for a while, the sounds of gunfire and screams were heard. He could also hear the voices of familiar men. He had clearly entrusted them with the protection of the 'Manipulator'...
'This crazy bastard. When did he go there, too?'
Shin Jin-seung let out a joyful chuckle, even in a dizzying crisis where he was losing talent he had used effectively until now. And Drae said.
[Then, if you grant me one favor, I'll go under you.]
"Oho. What is it?"
[Let me have a wild romp with your daughter. Then I'll join you right away.]
"......"
Whoosh. After all emotion was erased for an instant, anger filled that space.
"Student."
[Yes, yes.]
"I don't say things twice."
[It looks that way.]
"But I like you quite a bit, student, so I'll make an exception. What you just said crossed the line, so I should punish you, but once more..."
[Oh, I'm sorry. Mister. Come to think of it, Su-ryeon, she's not really my type.]
"......"
[Her face is all smashed up, so I think I'd go soft in the middle of it.]
"Uwahahahaha."
Had he ever received such humiliation in his life?
CRUNCH.
The cell phone he was gripping a little too hard creaked and screamed.
"I guarantee it, student. You will kneel before me and beg. While regretting this."
The moment of regret would not be long. Drae wouldn't know, but the place he had invaded was home to the man who was the best in terms of pure martial prowess among the Masked Men and always made the best judgments in slaughter. The 'Elephant Mask' was there. Soon, he would collide with reality and feel his own miserable self...
[Yeah, yeah. My intentions were all conveyed, right? Then... Mister Elephant Mask. One last word!]
Static.
[Sh, Jin-seung. This guy... No... You shouldn't touch the... St, Stop! Stop! Jin-seung! Save...!]
CRASH!
Thud-thud. The sound of something breaking and scattering.
[Oh, geez, how cliché... You're a guy with a lot of strength, but you're not very creative. Anyway, see you next time, Mister!]
The call was disconnected.
CRACK.
At the same time, the cell phone in Shin Jin-seung's hand was crushed.
"Gu-jin. Let's go."
"Yes."
"Where do you think you're going?"
Rachel, blocking his path. He was angry. But the woman in front of him was not someone he would fear just because he was angry.
'I kept you alive for too long.'
After catching Yeodre, the next turn would be this woman's. He would kill her without caring about the scale of the damage or public attention. Without showing that sentiment, Shin Jin-seung smiled.
"That friend's son. He's quite amazing."
"......"
"They say he's an adopted child? But it's fascinating that his personality is so similar."
"What?"
Rachel twisted her face.
"Why don't you investigate that child once? I've become curious about his past, too. Just for this time, perhaps we could be on the same side."
Rachel didn't ask what kind of bullshit he was talking about. The burning auditorium. And the countless corpses. And the son of ' ' who had been mentioned since earlier. He had wondered if it was possible, but Rachel had excellent intuition. What that intuition was telling her was an absurd and gruesome truth. As he passed her, frozen with her eyes wide open, Shin Jin-seung said as if in passing.
"You are free to spread what happened here as much as you like. However, in that case, you won't be able to stop his identity from leaking."
"......"
Instead of answering, Rachel glared at him with terrifyingly murderous eyes. But Shin Jin-seung was certain she wouldn't stop him.
'Because to you, ' ' or his son must be considered quite special.'
Rachel wouldn't stop him until she had grasped exactly what had happened. And he would end everything before that. Only after they were sufficiently far away did Shin Jin-seung speak to Kang Gu-jin.
"Gu-jin. Form a unit with men you can trust."
"Understood. Should I include the Masked Men as well?"
"No. There's no need to contact the Masked Men, excluding the Dog Mask."
Kang Gu-jin felt puzzled.
'Why? Even if they aren't as good as me, they are first-class when it comes to killing people?'
Although he was insanely angry at Yeodre, he acknowledged the guy's bizarre luck, incomprehensible combat, and talent for slaughter. Kang Gu-jin had been able to rise to this position because he had excellent instincts directly linked to survival, acknowledging what needed to be acknowledged. In his opinion, the guy was someone who needed to be hit with full preparation. But he wouldn't call the Masked Men?
He had to be fully prepared. Shin Jin-seung thought the same. But he couldn't summon the dead.
"It seems everyone except the Dog Mask was killed by Yeodre. Perhaps the 'Manipulator' too."
At those words, Kang Gu-jin's eyes widened significantly.
Night had fallen.
There were two pieces of news being heavily covered on the 9 o'clock news.
[Most students died in a gas explosion accident during a lecture at Yeomyeong High School.]
[Two cruise ships sank at Incheon Port. Investigation results show that both ships were involved with organized crime groups, and further investigation is planned.]
Of course, the ships that sank belonged to the Yakuza and the Triads. Barely one organization member survived, but he had become a broken man who had lost all will to fight. Furthermore, naturally, everyone expected both organizations to take bloody revenge... but instead, they were withdrawing from Korea.
Shin Jin-seung scoffed.
'Unbelievable.'
Both organizations stated they would not seek immediate revenge. Even if they said "immediate," looking at how they were moving secretly behind the scenes, he wondered if they had any intention of seeking revenge in the future at all.
According to reports from subordinates he had infiltrated, the sole survivor was reluctant to say who the enemy was, and judging by the combat traces, they seemed to have decided not to engage in meaningless attrition, believing they had been attacked by an unidentified organization.
'To be precise, they must be scared.'
They were guys who committed murder like it was a daily meal, but even such guys valued their own lives. They weren't some hit squads or professional assassins from a fantasy novel; for any human, their own life was the top priority.
The forces that came to Korea this time were quite large. That force had been wiped out overnight, and since they still didn't know the enemy's identity, anyone would want to play it safe.
'Let's stop thinking about the dogs with their tails tucked.'
There were other annoying things. There were many things to solve. For example, he had lost valuable talent. It seemed that the damn bastard had wiped out all the Masked Men except the Dog Mask, and even killed the 'Manipulator,' who boasted the best ability for public opinion manipulation.
'Since he was someone with a power as special as Su-ryeon's, I had attached most of the Masked Men I trusted most, especially the Elephant Mask, who was the best in terms of martial prowess, yet to think he would kill them all...'
He had found the bodies of the Masked Men, but there was no way to know the fate of the Manipulator. He had been a useful person whenever Shin Jin-seung crossed the line excessively and there were things that couldn't be covered up even with power...
Besides that, there were one or two places that were in trouble because the Yeodre bastard was running wild.
'No. That's enough now.'
Now, he would clear away everything bothersome and create an environment where it wouldn't matter what he did. What he needed to think about now was where to set the trap and how to catch the guy.
'I roughly understand Yeodre's thinking.'
Seeing him go around destroying various hideouts and killing his subordinates, he thought the guy's intention was to drain his strength as much as possible before encountering proper forces.
'It doesn't matter.'
The things Yeodre had eliminated. Those didn't even count as troops. The guy was thinking complacently. He was drunk on his own achievements. He would acknowledge what needed to be acknowledged. The guy had amazing skill and luck. Just looking at the fact that his identity hadn't been revealed even at this stage was proof of that.
Although big shots like Shin Jin-seung and Rachel had tried to cover up his crimes, he hadn't been caught even once on common black boxes or CCTVs, and no one imagined that a high school sophomore boy would have committed such slaughter.
However, he had the power and the faction to crush both luck and skill. If he could predict Yeodre's actions in advance, catching him wouldn't be a problem.
'What is the guy's principle of action?'
Revenge? Anger?
He didn't know. He had seen several avengers driven mad by anger, but his behavioral patterns were different from theirs. In a way, it even looked like he was enjoying this situation.
'He must be enjoying it, in fact. How that crazy bastard managed to endure and live pretending to be a normal person until now...'
What was certain was that he easily transcended common sense. And that he was a guy unprecedented in world history. Shin Jin-seung thought that it might be difficult to find a guy like this even in the future.
'That point is the same as me. A person who will be the only one in world history.'
Doesn't it strangely suit him, who would become the King of the world beyond Korea? Shin Jin-seung felt an indescribable sentiment and suddenly looked out the window.
The night view was wonderful.
A 40-story skyscraper that seemed to pierce the sky. However, it was only high compared to ordinary buildings; it wasn't the tallest building in Korea or anything like that. He could have built it higher, but he was satisfied with 40 stories because it was too conspicuous and could arouse suspicion from Shin Jin-seung's enemies.
That compromise created a sense of displeasure, as if it were saying he wasn't a complete King yet. However, someday, a day would come when compromise and restraint would not be necessary.
'It's almost time.'
Soon, he would remove all the thorns in his side and become a true Overlord from a King. Then, he would build a building higher than any country's architecture and proudly declare to the world that he was the master of everyone.
Shin Jin-seung closed his eyes and soaked in the sentiment for a moment. A moment later, he began to think realistically again.
'First, I'll clear out that son of a bitch, that crazy bastard.'
He had already made full preparations. He had gathered the elite of the elite, all sorts of strange talent, and weapons as far as his hands could reach, and had put all zones on emergency alert.
He had also distributed wanted posters so they wouldn't reach Rachel's eyes.
As excellent as her intelligence network was, she would soon try to interfere so he couldn't find Yeodre, but even so, it was only hard to find Yeodre when he was lying low, and there was no way a guy running around like a madman wouldn't be caught in Shin Jin-seung's intelligence network.
'But there is one thing I'm still agonizing over.'
That was whether to capture Yeodre alive or kill him. Killing him itself would be simple. Although he had shown more than expected until now, he was ultimately alone. His limits were clear. Moreover, Kang Gu-jin and the Dog Mask, possessors of powerful martial prowess, were grinding their teeth because their precious families had been hurt or killed. Given the various conditions and the degree of their anger, capture might be difficult, but even so, Yeodre had various rare values that made him consider the low-probability option of capture.
Being that man's son. Making his boring life fun and stimulating. And... Su-ryeon's...
"Tsk."
He thought of something annoying.
'As expected, that guy. I have to kill him.'
He drank the wine in the wine glass and set it down on the desk with a thud, looking at a photo on his smartphone. It was a photo of Su-ryeon.
"Su-ryeon."
His lovely daughter. His daughter whose face was smashed to pieces. Her face could be fixed as much as he wanted with surgery. If it couldn't be fixed, he wouldn't have even considered capturing Yeodre from the start. But. Thinking of his daughter's tragically smashed face, and her 'feelings,' he didn't want to kill him cleanly.
Suddenly, he saw a giant penis-shaped tool on the table. It was an object called a dildo. It had a crazy size that went beyond words and was covered in sharp protrusions. Shin Jin-seung used this to pierce anyone regardless of gender, destroying their mind and body at the same time. How fun would it be to shove his own penis into the mouth of the subdued Yeodre, and insert that dildo into the guy's anus to watch him break...
Beep-beep.
His secretary contacted him.
"What is it."
[I apologize for the late night. Assemblyman. The 'work' you ordered earlier is ready.]
"Aha."
Work. In other words, it was about those bastards like Assemblyman Seo, Seo Ye-rin's father. Even a King needs rest. Shouldn't he relieve the stress he got from Yeodre?
Shin Jin-seung felt his lower body stiffen and repeated all sorts of imaginations about how to enjoy it this time. How should he break these new work pieces? Should he kill the children in front of their parents? Should he violate the wife in front of the husband? But he knew. He thought it was a good game, but ultimately, he couldn't be completely satisfied. Because all of this was just a game. What he really wanted, the act that could satisfy him, was separate. If, if only his daughter felt the same way as him, he wouldn't need to relieve his sexual desire and stress with this kind of thing.
Thinking that, he suddenly couldn't bear it.
[That...]
"What is it."
The secretary was startled by Shin Jin-seung's sharp retort. Shin Jin-seung didn't know what he would do if he got angry. She knew well that if this King made up his mind, he could replace someone like her at any time. Making him feel bad was out of the question. Even so, she had to speak. Because it would be even more terrible if she didn't speak and it became a problem.
[Th, that is... I apologize for being presumptuous, but there was one point that concerned me.]
"Concerned?"
This woman was someone who knew her place. Such a woman was saying there was something that concerned her, knowing it would make him uncomfortable, even if only a little. It would be worth listening to.
Shin Jin-seung suddenly felt thirsty. He picked up the wine glass and gulped it down. He had drunk more than half earlier, but surprisingly, the amount was quite large. He set the wine glass back down on the table and asked.
"What is it?"
[That... there is the American you locked up before.]
"Ah. That criminal."
There was one black man who went around raping only men. He had caught him because he had smuggled into Korea and used him in a show later. Why about that?
[His whereabouts are unknown.]
"Wasn't that guy locked up in the prison of the entertainment establishment managed by Gu-jin?"
Just in case, he had even attached shackles with a transmitter that would explode if he tried to force them open, so how could he have escaped?
[Yeodre raided that place. He probably died. So...]
"...I understand."
There was something that bothered him. That must be the reason the secretary contacted him. That black guy knew this location. Because this building was where he had held the 'show'.
If Yeodre had interrogated that black guy, he might know this location. He felt a sense of unease.
Indeed, it was information worth telling him in advance.
"Well done."
The King praised the secretary for her contribution and hung up the phone. Shin Jin-seung thought about whether it would be okay to give her his seed as a reward.
'I might need to strengthen the security of this building.'
He had intended to enjoy himself with the work pieces for rest today, but it seemed he would have to refrain for a while. It was unpleasant to suppress his desires because of a brat like that, but Shin Jin-seung was a person who could endure when he had to endure.
"Before that..."
Shin Jin-seung picked up his smartphone and looked at the photo. It was a photo of his daughter, Shin Su-ryeon. The moment he entered a certain password into the phone.
Whirrr.
The scenery in the room changed. Photos of Su-ryeon in all sorts of appearances were plastered all over the walls. From ordinary school photos to photos of her eating something. Photos of her having fun or reading books... And photos of her washing. Photos of her comforting herself...
The photos of her comforting herself were from when she was relatively young. As Su-ryeon's abilities grew stronger, she had blocked all of Shin Jin-seung's candid photography, so photos of her recent appearance were rare. Shin Jin-seung found that deeply regrettable.
There were only two photos he had barely managed to take recently. A photo of her entering Yeodre's house. And a photo of her looking at that guy and giving him a smile on her lips...
'How dare you.'
That child's smile is mine alone. Thinking that, Shin Jin-seung unzipped his pants. He intended to relieve himself and then move.
'Before that, I'm thirsty, so I'll have one more drink...'
He picked up the wine and poured it into the wine glass. And, the moment he poured it, it overflowed.
"......"
A sense of incongruity.
'What is this. Clearly... I drank it all earlier.'
Shin Jin-seung jumped up without realizing it, and his body hit the table.
CLINK!!
The wine glass fell, and the alcohol spilled down under the table. He suddenly looked around. For some reason, he felt a chill.
"......"
The room, which should have been the same as usual, looked unfamiliar and terrifying. The moment he gulped.
Click.
"......!"
Someone. Is behind him.
For the first time in his life, Shin Jin-seung experienced the phenomenon of his body freezing in terror. He couldn't turn his head. His chest felt cold, and at the same time, he felt anxious as if he were burning.
Clatter.
Even at the small sound, his heart sank, and cold sweat flowed. The person behind him had only picked up the wine bottle. Hearing the sound, he was picking up the wine bottle and, glug-glug-glug... was pouring alcohol into the wine glass.
"Is this expensive alcohol?"
"......"
It was a voice he had heard before. It was also a voice that shouldn't be here.
"Geez. Should I have sold it instead of spilling it?"
Shin Jin-seung. Slowly, slowly turned his head. However, before he could look back, something cold was pressed against his neck, and Shin Jin-seung froze.
"......"
Shin Jin-seung had learned various studies since he was young. Those studies also included various martial arts. However, they were of no use in this situation right now.
He couldn't move.
"Why are you so scared, Mister. Here. Drink."
"......"
The cold thing pressed against his neck was glass. In other words, a wine glass. Shin Jin-seung slowly raised only his hand and grabbed the wine glass.
Should he grab it and stab him with it like this?
...No, at the point where the Masked Men had been defeated. With his own martial prowess alone, he couldn't... kill this guy. Unable to suppress the thought that he had to buy time and the curiosity that flared up even in this situation, Shin Jin-seung asked.
"How did you... get in?"
"It was surprisingly sloppy."
Shin Jin-seung turned his head again, very slowly. There, Yeodre, wearing a neatly pressed school uniform, was smiling from ear to ear. In one hand, he was holding a knife.
Shin Jin-seung's eyes, seeing the blade, shook violently.
"I said I'd see you next time, right? Mister."