Chapter 26
Chapter 26
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: Assassin Kim Ji-yong (7)
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Inside the speeding vehicle, Kim Ji-yong was surrounded by martial artists.
He would die at the place where the car stopped.
To suppress the horrific terror, he began mind-controlling himself. At least he could go peacefully without getting beaten to a pulp or suffering all sorts of humiliations. That was a relief.
Did they look favorably on him for voluntarily surrendering his body at the end? The martial artists sitting on either side of him started chatting amiably.
"Seeing that Invincible Unaffiliated guy—who's got nothing to do with you—busting his ass to save you, doesn't that change your mind a bit?"
"Yes."
"Good, you thought it through."
The martial artist in the next seat began giving life advice to Kim Ji-yong, who was about to die.
Kim Ji-yong held back the urge to smack him and cautiously asked,
"So... is my girlfriend still alive?"
The man exchanged texts with someone and replied,
"Seems like it."
Kim Ji-yong nodded. He tried to smile faintly but ended up letting out a deep sigh instead.
He couldn't tell if it was a sigh of relief or resignation.
An hour later, the car stopped in the darkest spot.
With his eyes blindfolded, Kim Ji-yong listened to their conversation.
"...Just a few of us left now; the rest go back. No point in a crowd getting caught on CCTV..."
The sound of a sword being drawn from its sheath rang out. Next came the voice of Gangnam's Greatest Swordsman.
"I'm sorry it has to be this way, so I'll make it quick for you."
Two days later, Yi Do-hyeok took a full day off before heading to work.
"Good morning, boss. And... hello to you too, young master."
Yi Pung lit up at the sight of Yi Do-hyeok.
"Do-hyeok, you worked hard driving all night the other day! With Seong-cheol out, let's divvy up the earnings. We made six hundred and fifty million from this job."
"Uh, wasn't the money from that Kim Ji-yong guy just six hundred million?"
"Martial Alliance chipped in fifty million! As a reward."
Yi Do-hyeok couldn't fathom why they'd pay a reward after fighting against them, but he let it slide.
Yi Pung continued,
"Six hundred million naturally goes to our peerless master who fought like hell. No complaints there, right? So our share is the fifty million. We'd split it two ways, but..."
Yi Do-hyeok blinked.
"I just drove, and you're giving me that much?"
"You maniac charged at a Nissan without your hands shaking—don't you deserve it for keeping steady? Anyway... how do you want your cut?"
"Pardon?"
"Cash? Or spirit medicine? If it's medicine, I can generously give you a three-million-won one. Cash? Can't do that much. Cash better?"
For some reason, Yi Do-hyeok glanced at Heo Pung-gae, who was in the office.
He recalled the swordsman's exploits that night. That's what he wanted for himself too.
"No, I'll take spirit medicine."
Yi Pung grinned.
"Good choice... Been a while since you had any?"
"First time since middle school first year."
"You'll absorb it even better then."
Yi Pung smirked and brought over a wooden box.
Yi Do-hyeok opened the lid with a resolute expression and swallowed the pill inside. Then he entered a separate room prepared to digest the spirit medicine.
Meanwhile, Yi Pung started fawning over Heo Pung-gae.
"We really made a killing thanks to you! Man, that young peerless master who took on President Park and his three goons, the Invincible Unaffiliated! Everyone in the Martial Alliance is marveling at the new prodigy's prowess!"
Heo Pung-gae glared at Yi Pung.
"What's there to brag about when those sword goons dropped their blades? If that old Mount Hua guy had kept his sword, it would've ended the moment you grazed his side."
"Still! It looks different to everyone else. Word's spread like wildfire through the Martial Alliance. Just like I said."
"It was a secret mission—how'd the others find out?"
"Guess they blabbed after returning to their groups. No wonder the spies in the Martial Alliance don't get caught. Everyone's got loose lips..."
"Anyway, I grumbled a ton inside when we took the job, but it balanced out nicely. We held our own against a peerless master and his goons, boosting your rep, bro. Martial Alliance doesn't seem keen on nitpicking, and we made over six hundred million..."
"What about kickbacks? Not slipping cash to the committee?"
"They refused even when I offered. Makes me uneasy. Why not take it? Are they really gunning for us? Not in this day and age. Those guys take bribes and stab you in the back anyway..."
Heo Pung-gae said,
"They're not taking bribes 'cause they're scared."
"Scared? Why?"
"That assassin punk bolted."
"Bolted? How?"
"Don't know how, but President Park's got him by now. Martial Alliance is covering it up."
Yi Pung's eyes widened.
"How do you know?"
"When he was with those martial thugs, I saw it and my heart sank, so I watched the guy..."
"President Park?"
"He just watched as they took the assassin and ran. Didn't chase."
"A chaebol head like him getting into a street brawl with thugs? Maybe he held back."
"Not the type. He showed up personally—doesn't make sense to leave empty-handed. He had a sure way to snag him, that's why he went quietly."
Yi Pung started to argue but gave up. Spies flooding the Martial Alliance was infamous.
Foreign orgs had agents there, of course, and they turned a blind eye to police plants. A few from President Park's side? Not surprising.
"And you—don't pull that shit again."
Yi Pung asked at Heo Pung-gae's words,
"What shit? What?"
"You pretended not to notice even after seeing Kim Ji-yong go with the martial thugs."
"I really didn't know. I was busy watching you fight—how could I watch that guy too? Didn't even hear the car door."
Heo Pung-gae didn't buy the excuse.
Yi Pung usually cooperated well on escorts but hated doing it without gain. He followed only because it was his big bro and foster father.
So when protecting the assassin risked clashing with the Martial Alliance, he must've been inwardly thrilled when the baggage jumped ship.
Heo Pung-gae thought of the assassin who chose death that day. He pondered melancholically what shift in heart led to it.
Assassin Kim Ji-yong thought he'd die, but he didn't.
The situation of surviving somehow—and being summoned before some corporate president—was utterly bewildering.
Gangnam's Greatest Swordsman stood beside him. The man who killed one of his own underlings that day and brought Kim Ji-yong here.
Gangnam's Greatest Swordsman bowed to President Park.
President Park barely acknowledged it and asked,
"So, no cameras caught you, right?"
"Yes, probably."
"Probably? Speak clearly."
"Sorry, President. No, we weren't caught."
As Gangnam's Greatest Swordsman bowed his head, President Park eyed the swordsman with dissatisfaction.
"So, you learned Mount Hua swordsmanship?"
"Yes, but mainly the style developed during the righteous army activities. It's similar to but different from the Mount Hua Plum Blossom Sword Technique."
"Even better—you can learn what you haven't. From now on, you're my martial arts master too."
It was a shocking offer. Who wouldn't covet the role of martial arts teacher to a corporate titan?
Especially President Park, infamous for sparing no expense on martial arts— just showing up daily would bring vast wealth and spirit medicine.
"Don't you already have a Mount Hua instructor?"
"That old man's going into closed-door training."
"Closed-door..."
"Means locking the door 'cause he hates seeing people. Fell but no health issues—just embarrassed collapsing in public. Anyway, that Invincible BB Bullet guy with his weird tricks..."
Gangnam's Greatest Swordsman didn't dare point out the mix-up between Invincible BB Bullet and Invincible Unaffiliated. He bit his lip recalling that day's events.
The helplessness at the broadcast station lingered unwashed.
Invincible BB Bullet's disciple—far younger—hadn't even tried against Gangnam's Greatest Swordsman, worth billions.
No need to, he now knew. He'd seen the peerless masters clash after. They dwelled in a realm apart from other martial artists.
Blind training alone wouldn't cut it. So he switched allegiances entirely. Beyond spying for President Park, he'd serve under him fully.
"Go on in."
"Yes, sir. Thank you for the opportunity."
Gangnam's Greatest Swordsman withdrew.
Alone with President Park, Kim Ji-yong trembled.
"So, our little human executioner—which names are on your list?"
At President Park's question, Kim Ji-yong answered honestly. He detailed all twenty-nine targets killed on Martial Alliance orders, down to the minutiae.
President Park looked disappointed after hearing it all.
"Nearly thirty kills, but nothing impressive? Might barely make front-page news."
Kim Ji-yong vaguely grasped the meaning.
President Park despised the martial world and wanted it dismantled. He'd snatched Kim Ji-yong for that—to expose crimes and upheave society via media.
Kim Ji-yong said,
"Like I told you, I killed that detective too. The one who died mid-investigation—made the news."
President Park sighed.
"People are busy. Too busy—they've already forgotten one model cop."
"But..."
"More than that, people love the martial world more than one cop."
"Pardon?"
"They love wuxia movies, comics, games over one cop's life. You worked for the Korean Martial Alliance—which crime group did they model after?"
"I don't know..."
"Yakuza."
President Park said,
"Few crime groups succeed like them. Know what? Japanese gov could've crushed yakuza anytime.
Yakuza tattoo themselves. Mark years, kills, stabbings—all crimes on their bodies. Tattoo alone outs them...
But they don't. Anti-yakuza laws curb activity, but no real roundup law. Why?"
"I don't..."
"Japanese love yakuza. No protests to boot them out.
Movies, comics glorify them—guardians of the shadows.
Media helps paint them harmless. 'Cops nabbing yakuza!' 'Youth shunning them—numbers dropping!'—all hype.
Yet black money's astronomical... Japs treat them like pals."
The next instant, Kim Ji-yong gritted his teeth.
He saw President Park's eyes. Felt the killing intent in that gaze and voice.
"Korean martial thugs ape them perfectly. Role models. Sponsor wuxia flicks, rough up bad portrayals. Pretend not to touch civilians for image.
Ancestors fought Japanese occupiers—now smearing their faces. So, how to purge these yakuza-copycat shits from Korea?"
Kim Ji-yong mumbled,
"Make the public hate them..."
"Right. Make 'em feel the thugs' true nature. Model cop murdered despite digging deep? Not their problem—no one cares. One prosecutor testimony won't cut it."
President Park extended his hand and continued,
"So, to make up the shortfall—will you help?"