Chapter 52
Chapter 52
Chapter 52: Uninvited Guest (4)
Translation: godtl
Kim Mu-yeol, President of the Korea Awakened Association.
Behind that resplendent nameplate sat a middle-aged man with sharp yet refined features.
His overall impression—from his eyes to his mouth—remained razor-sharp despite the wrinkles of time, not dulled in the slightest.
Like a well-preserved ancient sword, his edge hadn't dulled.
One of his blade-like eyebrows twitched slightly.
"I don't recall summoning two people."
As he murmured this, Kim Mu-yeol's gaze wasn't fixed on Si-mun standing before him but on the figure behind him.
"Is that so? You've been visiting the Association so often lately, I assumed I was invited too."
Kim Si-hyeok shrugged nonchalantly.
Just once.
Despite the clear dismissal.
Si-hyeok's legs remained rooted to the floor like tree trunks.
"Young master, if you'd just—"
Secretary-General Choi Chang-wook, who had been gauging the mood, was about to approach Si-hyeok when—
"Fine. Having lost your parents early, I suppose it's understandable."
Kim Mu-yeol waved his hand dismissively and attempted to curl the corner of his lips upward.
No.
He tried to.
"Ah, is it because we share the same circumstances? Your understanding is truly exceptional, Uncle."
Until a clear, ringing voice cut through the air.
At those words, not only Si-hyeok and Kim Mu-yeol but also...
"..."
Secretary-General Choi Chang-wook, who had been bowing to leave, froze mid-motion.
Choi Chang-wook's eyes widened like Si-hyeok's, but that was all.
"...I'll excuse myself now."
Living up to his moniker "Golem," Choi swiftly regained his composure and retreated with a stiff bow.
As the door closed.
"You've picked up quite the new hobby. I don't recall you ever keeping potted plants before?"
The same clear voice continued.
Unnoticed, Si-mun had walked to the window and was now observing the row of potted plants lining the sill.
From behind Si-mun's back.
"What exactly are you trying to pull?"
A chilling pressure descended.
This wasn't just a matter of mood.
As a Diamond-rank player, Kim Mu-yeol's icy aura was physically pressing down on Si-mun.
And in modern society, this energy was called—
'Our esteemed uncle must be quite flustered, I see.'
—killing intent.
"Ah, seeing this reminds me—some things about you never change, Uncle."
In the past, his uncle's killing intent would have left him struggling to even breathe.
"Since we're all family here, why don't you tone it down a little? You're not getting any younger, after all."
Si-mun, thoroughly enjoying himself, curled the corners of his lips even higher.
"...Are you out of your mind?"
Kim Mu-yeol's eyes grew even sharper.
Naturally.
Whoosh!
The killing intent pressing against Si-mun's entire body intensified beyond measure.
"Hyung!"
Had he not expected his uncle to unleash his killing intent in earnest?
Startled, Si-hyeok moved to intervene, but—
Si-mun raised a hand to stop his younger brother.
Kim Mu-yeol's eyes twitched at this, and his killing intent surged even stronger.
Flick.
But Si-mun merely snapped his fingers and met Kim Mu-yeol's gaze with an easy smile.
"...Tch."
Annoyed, Kim Mu-yeol stared at Si-mun's fingers for a long moment before finally withdrawing his killing intent.
Then.
Crack.
The sound of something hard breaking echoed through the room.
The hairs on Si-mun's nape stood on end.
Acting on instinct, Si-mun twisted his body—
Swish!
—as a sharp gust of wind grazed his neck.
At this sight, Association President Kim Mu-yeol's gaze deepened.
"So the rumors were true."
"I wasn't aware there were rumors about me. Though your verification method is a bit extreme, no?"
"By definition, the subject of a rumor is the last to know."
"Haha. Fair point."
Despite the sudden ambush, Si-mun didn't lose his smile as he lightly pressed down on the potted plant's branch that had stretched toward his neck.
"Tch."
Kim Mu-yeol clicked his tongue.
Crack.
The branch, which had grown as sharp as a thorn, reverted to its original form.
"How did you regain your abilities? No."
Kim Mu-yeol withdrew the bonsai branches and asked coldly,
"How did you recover from Mana Disability?"
His voice dripped with authority.
Yet, seeing how perfectly it suited him only made me let out a hollow laugh.
Not because I was overwhelmed by that authoritative demeanor.
So they've really given him quite a bit of power. Well, given my uncle's background, it's only natural.
As someone who knew Kim Mu-yeol's past, Si-mun could only see it as a desperate attempt to appear strong.
"Well, I got lucky."
"Luck?"
Kim Mu-yeol's brow furrowed at Si-mun's peculiar smile and answer.
And it wasn't just because the reply was nonsensical.
"Recovering from Mana Disability seems to have made you forget your place."
Si-mun's attitude was completely different from before.
Especially—
The way he had subtly seized control of the conversation from the moment he stepped in here until now was deeply irritating.
And so.
"Kim Si-hyeok might be one thing, but you—you're a bastard child. Worse, born before the legitimate heir. A disgrace to the family, in other words."
He needed to remind him of his position.
"Remember that you're in no place to act insolently toward me."
"Uncle!"
Kim Si-hyeok immediately reacted to Kim Mu-yeol's sneer.
But.
"Haha! Well, at least I have one thing over you, Uncle."
Si-mun only laughed cheerfully.
In fact—
"Though we're both the sons of concubines, at least I wasn't born before the legitimate heir, right?"
He took a step forward and drove the dagger in deeper.
"If you'd been born first like me, Uncle... you wouldn't have had to struggle so hard to reach that position."
Snap.
The moment his words ended, Si-mun flicked his fingers.
The reason he had reinforced his entire body with human refinement was none other than this.
"You little—!"
Boom!
He had anticipated his uncle lunging at him.
Of course.
Clang.
"Uncle, have you lost your mind?"
Not that he didn't have faith in him.
"...Kim Si-hyeok, who do you think looks insane right now?"
Contrary to his usual sharp, sword-like demeanor,
Kim Mu-yeol's face twisted beyond recognition, flushing red as he snarled.
Kim Si-hyeok, standing firm with his sword blocking the bonsai's razor-sharp branches, answered without hesitation.
"Do I really need to spell it out?"
"Step aside."
"I can't."
Grind.
Kim Mu-yeol gritted his teeth at Si-hyeok's unwavering stance.
"Hah."
After a moment to steady his breath, he wiped his brow and stepped back.
Creak.
The bonsai branches, which had grown lethally sharp, slowly reverted to their original form.
Si-mun let out a small whistle.
"Whew. Still so young, Uncle."
Like a child who can't control his emotions.
There was no way Kim Mu-yeol wouldn't catch that muttered jab. His fists clenched, but—
Damn brat...!
The realization that he was being played by a nephew far younger than him forced him to suppress his boiling rage.
Returning to his usual composure, Kim Mu-yeol sighed lightly and waved a hand at the shattered desk and chair.
Creak.
The high-quality hardwood desk and chair were restored in an instant.
As Kim Mu-yeol slumped back into his seat—
Swish.
Kim Si-hyeok sheathed his sword and retreated as well.
Though not to the entrance like before—this time, he took position behind Si-mun.
Glancing at his brother's considerate gesture, Si-mun turned his gaze back to his uncle.
"Enough family banter. Let's get to the point. I'm quite busy, you know."
"Anyone would think you're the Association President."
"Haha! As if. Maybe if it were this guy."
He playfully jerked his chin toward Si-hyeok behind him.
Kim Mu-yeol's eyes twitched again, but he showed no further reaction.
Truly Uncle's style. Won't fall for it twice, huh.
He had wanted to rattle him as much as possible.
Si-mun clicked his tongue inwardly before continuing.
"Assuming you summoned me to the Association because of the terrorist incident?"
"Is that how you'd phrase it? It happened right in the middle of downtown Seoul. And it involved Awakened crime at that."
Given Jace Clark's unique abilities,
a battle with him was bound to draw attention.
Naturally, the Awakened Association's involvement would've been unavoidable.
"Which brings me to my question. What the hell were you doing?"
"What the hell...?"
Trailing off, Si-mun met his uncle's gaze—sharp as a blade's edge.
"Don't even think about dodging. We've already received reports. A Caucasian male in his twenties endlessly deploying paper dolls, they said."
"Typical Association efficiency. You've already gotten reports that far..."
"Enough pointless chatter. Just answer the damn question."
Kim Mu-yeol's eyes brimmed with suspicion.
Seeing that, Si-mun became certain of one thing.
"You—what's your connection to Desperado?"
'So uncle didn't hire them.'
Not just the questions about recovering from Mana Disability or ties to Desperado—
if his uncle had truly ordered his assassination,
they wouldn't have sent just Jace Clark.
'He'd have dispatched Diamond-grade Players too, including Secretary-General Choi Chang-wook, as insurance.'
And that's not all.
He'd have locked down the entire Sillim district where my studio apartment is.
The Association President had that kind of authority,
and this meticulous bastard was precisely the type to wield power that way.
Yet none of that happened.
Experiencing it firsthand confirmed his uncle wasn't the client.
'Which means it's someone else...'
Only three factions supported Desperado during that period:
Korea's Association President, America, and China.
With his uncle ruled out, that left just America and China.
'Have I ever clashed with America or China?'
In my past life, sure—high-value materials caused friction at the national level.
But that was then, not now.
Perhaps due to Si-mun's prolonged silence,
"You think keeping your mouth shut will solve anything?"Kim Mu-yeol's voice grew sharper.
This made Si-mun realize something else.
'I see. Uncle wants to know who hired Desperado too.'
He understood the sentiment, if not the motive.
'He's curious which other factions are backing Desperado behind the scenes.'
Their objectives differed, but their goal aligned.
In that case—
"I have a question too. How does my esteemed uncle know of Desperado?"
—he could use this situation.
A mere Gold-rank with no backing could achieve far less
than the President of Korea's Awakened Association.
"Are you mocking me now? You think as Association President, I wouldn't know a notorious villain organization?"
"Well, when you put it that way..."
"Don't get cocky with that smug act. The only reason you're not detained is because there were no casualties."
"Believe me, I'm grateful for that part too."
He meant it.
Harming or killing others would've left him uneasy regardless,
and with human casualties, even the best connections couldn't have gotten him off the hook.
Awakened crimes weren't taken lightly in modern society.
"You keep dancing around the—"
"Have you looked into America's side?"
"What?"
"Or China?"
"...What are you implying?"
Kim Mu-yeol's suspicion deepened.
Watching him, Si-mun's mind raced.
'As I thought—he doesn't know about the two superpowers backing Desperado.'
Then again,
even in his past life, that fact only came to light after most nations had fallen.
At this point, it made sense he wouldn't know.
Who'd believe countries were secretly supporting a villain organization for their own interests?
'Any accusations would just get dismissed as conspiracy theories anyway.'
"Wasn't that kind of thing common even before the Galaxy Arena appeared?
National-level conspiracies, I mean."
"Kim Si-mun, if I'm forced to question you one more time, not even your brother will be able to protect you then."
Si-mun smirked as he watched his uncle growl with fervent interest.
"Exactly as I said. You're asking me to confirm what you've already heard from the U.S. and China, aren't you?"
"Are you not understanding me? Why are those two countries suddenly being brought up here?"
"Ah, someone of your standing must already know. Why bother asking?"
At Si-mun's teasing, Kim Mu-yeol's brow furrowed.
It was inevitable.
Men of his rank were given the discernment to distinguish between conspiracy theories and truth.
And that blade-sharp man possessed more than enough ability to tell the difference.
"You do realize how dangerous that statement is, don't you? If your words turn out to be false..."
"Then you'd be pleased, wouldn't you? Lying to the Association President and slandering the nation—wouldn't that make for a perfect arrest?"
Si-mun replied with perfect composure.
In the end, our Association President, who had been tacitly supporting Desperado, had no choice but to bite the bait Si-mun had laid out.
"...Fine. If you're wrong, be prepared for the consequences."
"Hyung, are you really sure about this? What if those two countries weren't involved...?"
"They were."
At his answer, the questioner—Kim Si-hyeok—blinked in surprise.
Then, without another word:
"Oh? Alright."
The kid nodded flatly.
Si-mun studied his younger brother, who accepted his words without question, and asked,
"Why the lukewarm reaction? What were you going to do if I was wrong?"
"If you say it's true, then it must be."
"I appreciate the trust, but isn't this a bit much?"
"Nah, seeing how you backed Uncle into a corner like that sealed it for me. I've never seen him shaken like that before."
As his brother grinned triumphantly and winked, Si-mun burst into laughter.
"I didn't expect Uncle to waver that much either."
"Next time we go to the Association, I might have to tag along with you."
"You brat."
Exchanging banter, the two arrived at the entrance of the penthouse.
Click.
As the door opened—
"Oppa, you're back?"
Had she been waiting for them?
From inside the penthouse, Lee Yu-jeong approached with a worried expression.
"Yu-jeong? Why are you here...?"
At her sudden appearance, Si-mun's eyes widened in surprise.
So much so that he failed to notice—
"...."
"...."
—the silent exchange of glances between Yu-jeong and Kim Si-hyeok, who had followed him in.
Then—
"I was worried about you, Oppa. You and the Association President... you've never gotten along, after all."
At Yu-jeong's fretful words, Si-mun let out a dry chuckle.
'Well, of course Yu-jeong would know.'
They had been inseparable since childhood.
No matter how young she had been, someone as sharp as her couldn't have been unaware of the tension between him and his uncle.
She must have just been considerate enough not to show it all this time.
Just then—
"Nah, don't worry about that. I was actually pretty shocked today."
Kim Si-hyeok, standing behind him, spoke up.
"What do you mean?"
"Exactly what I said. I've never seen Uncle so rattled before."
"The Association President... was rattled?"
Yu-jeong's eyes flickered as she turned to Si-mun.
But she quickly composed herself and—
"Hoho! Seems like I missed quite the scene. Oppa, I brewed some tea—why don't you have a cup and tell me all about it?"
—beamed brightly, guiding them to the sofa.
As Si-mun took a seat and sipped his tea, Yu-jeong's gaze shifted to Kim Si-hyeok.
"Actually, Oppa must be tired. Si-hyeok-ah? Why don't you explain? What exactly happened? The Association President was rattled?"
"Well..."
As Si-hyeok recounted the events, Yu-jeong reacted in real-time with a range of expressions.
"Ehh?! Seriously? He actually did that?"
"I'm telling you! And then Hyung—"
The two chattered away for a while, exchanging details about the Association.
Si-mun, using their conversation as background noise, sank deeper into the sofa, savoring his tea.
By the time his cup was nearly empty—
Had the story finally ended?
A sudden silence fell as the two exchanged glances.
Then—
"But, Hyung."
His younger brother, Kim Si-hyeok, cautiously spoke up.
"What are you going to do about the house now?"