Chapter 94
Chapter 94. How to Stop Your Rivals from Buying Land (2)
My mother was a little different from my father.
My father, who spoke of ascending to immortality, chose only carrots over sticks.
My mother, by contrast, was a true woman of steel.
She knew that benevolence alone could not sustain a great family like the Sacheondang Family.
Though she had no martial arts, she carried the commanding presence that only true masters possess.
She was praised more for her wisdom than for her beauty—said to be the finest in all of Sichuan.
Even the family's masters respected her.
It was when I was young.
A banquet held by the Sacheondang Family drew in the sects of Sichuan Province.
A second year running, an exchange tournament was held among the rising generation.
Even the White Tiger Gate and Jongnam Sect brought children around my age.
A light sparring match was organized.
6 children representing the major sects of Sichuan Province, each using their own fist and kick arts.
It was decided that they would scatter across a single arena and fight, with a final winner declared at the end.
But things didn't go as expected.
The moment it started, 4 of the rising generation ganged up and charged straight at me.
"Wha—?!"
I was flustered, but I fought back with everything I had.
The rising generation from the White Tiger Gate and others blocked my path in front. And the boy from Jongnam Sect, as if it had all been planned, stepped back from the arena and waited.
He only came out to fight me at the very end.
I had knocked down all 4.
But I was already completely spent.
I took a single punch from him and, to my shame, even bled from the nose.
First place went to Jongnam Sect.
The winner was presented with a small golden horse figurine as their prize.
"Cowards!"
I was so furious I cried.
That evening.
Everyone left in a drunken uproar, and I walked the manor grounds, rubbing my bruised face.
My mother came to me.
Graceful as a heavenly maiden.
My mother, called the finest beauty in all of Sichuan Province, was blinding in the moonlight.
"Seon, what are you doing out here?"
"It's nothing."
I tried to hide my feelings, but my mother already knew everything.
"You feel wronged, don't you?"
"……Yes. That was a foul."
"There was no rule against forming a team."
"Even so……."
My mother gently comforted me as I sniffled.
"You're furious, aren't you?"
"Of course."
"It feels like your victory was stolen."
"Yes! I hate them so much. Just now I saw them leaving in a palanquin. I was watching from a distance and that boy held up the golden horse to show it off to me!"
"My, my."
"You know, Mother. I picked that out with Father at the market……! I was going to win it and give it to Seon-a."
"……."
"It was definitely because of the last tournament result. Because I beat that Jongnam Sect boy back then. He used a cheap trick to get revenge on me."
Swoosh—
My mother bent her knees and brought herself to my eye level.
I wiped my tears and apologized to her.
"I'm sorry. I showed you such a pathetic side of me. I should've brushed it off without a care."
But my mother's reaction was different.
"That's just how it is. They say your belly aches when your rival buys land. That's human nature."
"Really?"
"Someone you despise like an enemy doing better than you and receiving applause……. That's truly infuriating. Even your father couldn't endure that."
"Father seemed completely unbothered, though."
"That's because you don't know. The armrest on the chair Father was sitting in earlier—it shattered to pieces."
"Really?"
"Indeed. To think how furious he was—that he'd squeeze something that solid and break it. Hehe. And he wants to ascend to immortality?"
I found myself laughing without meaning to at my mother's words.
"So what should I do?"
"Simple."
My mother raised a single finger.
"First—grit your teeth and forget it. Second—stop your rival from buying land in the first place. Third—take back the land your rival already bought."
"……Pardon?"
As I stood there bewildered, my mother leaned in and whispered in my ear.
"Shall we go steal that golden horse……Together?"
* * *
Wham!
Wearing the Iron Instrument God's Human Skin Mask, I kicked open the door to Chief Han's office at the National Murim Bureau.
Chief Han, having heard I was coming, had already dismissed all the staff.
She was dressed in climbing attire, ready for the 37th floor ascent.
Wearing the armor I had gifted her, she was meticulously wiping and inspecting the Blue Dragon Spear.
Her bright, energetic voice welcomed me.
"Hero! I can't tell you how happy I was to hear you were dropping by. The chairman had just instructed me again to dine with him after this tournament—. Ugh!"
But I.
Grabbed Chief Han by the throat right then and there.
Ugh!
Her face flushed red as she gasped for air.
"How dare you betray me?!"
I narrowed my eyes and stared at her crimson face.
"I, I don't know what you mean……."
I shoved the listening device I'd found into her face.
"I made myself perfectly clear. Don't dig into anything about me. And yet you plant a listening device on the Choi brothers?"
"Th, that's—!"
"And on top of that, you leaked our strategy in the tournament to that so-called Murim Alliance Leader. Through this very device!"
Crack!
I slammed my fist down on the desk.
The solid desk splintered apart.
Chief Han's face, already red, was turning a shade of violet.
But she denied it.
"I don't……know anything about this. I really……. Ugh! I know nothing about……!"
Even as the whites of her eyes began to show, she refused to the end.
Then the door burst open and Minister Han strode in.
"Nameless Hero, what a pleasure to finally—. Z, Jang-mi!"
Minister Han rushed over and grabbed my arm.
"What are you doing! Why are you suddenly—!"
Chief Han spoke with great effort.
"Please…… Give me a chance to explain. Ugh!"
I shot a single glare at Minister Han, then roughly released Chief Han by the throat.
Chief Han gasped and heaved for breath.
Minister Han was about to step forward and protest, when she cut him off.
"Father! Let me handle this."
"……."
She looked at me, her face trembling.
"Show me."
She took the listening device from me, examined it carefully, then spoke.
"This doesn't belong to us."
"Don't lie to me."
"Please believe me! This listening device is one used by the National Intelligence Service."
"……The National Intelligence Service?"
I held out the broken quiver to them.
"The Choi brothers bought this at the National Murim Bureau. You had planted the listening device in it beforehand."
"We really have no knowledge of this!"
Chief Han shouted.
I pointed at Minister Han.
"The minister seems to know something different."
"……!"
Minister Han bit his lip for just a moment.
He clearly knew something.
Chief Han quickly stepped in front of her father.
"Wait a moment! Just a moment! Father—is it true?"
"……."
"Answer."
I took a step forward.
"Father!"
"I planted it!"
Minister Han squeezed his eyes shut and cried out.
Chief Han's complexion went deathly pale.
"Father……. Why on earth?"
"It was on the chairman's orders. To investigate the Nameless Hero……."
Minister Han grabbed my hands, his voice trembling.
"I had no choice. There was no other intent, and there was no information that could even hint at your identity!"
"Choi Jae-hwa nearly died. No—without the armor I gave him, he really would have died."
The Murim Alliance Leader's sword energy had been saturated with killing intent.
Considering the backing Choi Jae-hwa had, making such an attack wasn't an easy choice.
It meant either the man was a bloodthirsty lunatic, or he had the confidence to deal with the fallout of killing Choi Jae-hwa.
Judging by his posture and eyes, it was the latter.
It was only because the bow Choi Jae-hwa carried stopped it first, and my armor protected him second, that anything was averted.
"I had no idea it would come to that. I was just following orders……."
"A minister of a nation—did you leave your head in the Han River?"
Minister Han fell silent.
It was an unjust order, information that could be used for corrupt purposes.
He should have refused.
Minister Han waved his hands and replied.
"I had no such intention. It's true that I passed along the information, but it was an extremely classified secret. It was reported directly, and only, to the chairman."
It made no sense.
My winning strategy, reported directly to the President alone.
"I'll ask again. Why did that information end up with the Murim Alliance Leader?"
Roaarr—
A tremendous energy wave poured out from me.
Minister Han instantly had trouble breathing, gasping sharply.
Even Chief Han couldn't hold her ground and staggered.
"Answer me. The true identity of the Murim Alliance Leader. What is his relationship with the President?"
"……."
Minister Han clamped his mouth shut.
I extended my hand toward the minister, radiating a bloody glow.
And then Chief Han cried out urgently.
"Park Je-hwang!"
"……!"
"His name is Park Je-hwang. He is the direct disciple of my master, Hwangbo Geom……. And……."
I looked at Chief Han in shock.
Pale as a sheet, her expression hollow with disbelief, she said,
"He is the President's grandson."
She showed me a photo of Park Je-hwang alongside President Park Jae-yeol.
"……!"
My pupils trembled.
Park Je-hwang in the photo.
He was the leader of those who had tormented Kim Tae-yang.
【Kim Tae-yang shouts in fury! 'Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill!' +10,000 Happiness】
* * *
[Super Tower Climber K]
The final.
100,000 spectators packed into the Olympic main stadium roared around the stage set up at the center.
The stars of today's match.
Park Je-hwang and Jang Ae-guk had appeared.
When Park Je-hwang entered, a thunderous cheer erupted—Waaah—!
When Jang Ae-guk appeared after him, a chorus of boos rang out—Booo—!
Jang Ae-guk had received a smattering of applause in his previous match against the Japanese climber, and it showed on his face that he had expected the same.
But appearing after Park Je-hwang only amplified the booing beyond what it had ever been, and his expression fell.
A pretty reporter approached Jang Ae-guk first and held out her microphone.
"Mr. Jang Ae-guk, you've been posting impressive results since re-naturalizing. But the louder the praise, the louder the criticism—I imagine that weighs on you."
It was a clever question.
Answering that he wasn't worried would have been the worst possible choice, yet saying he was worried greatly was equally hard to get away with.
Jang Ae-guk paused for a moment, then answered.
"I will show the citizens a worthy performance."
A follow-up question was posed.
"Many people say the circumstances of your crossing over from Japan were suspicious. You were once a climber representing Japan, and yet you never made it past the 37th floor."
"……."
"In the meantime, the Musashi brothers from Japan have been surging ferociously and are now challenging the 37th floor. There are those who say you've been completely outstripped in ability as well. There are even rumors circulating that a warrant was issued for your arrest in Japan. Isn't this a return to escape prosecution?"
Quick, yet utterly deliberate in delivery.
Jang Ae-guk was dumbfounded.
The crowd booed him.
"Is this……an interview for the final, or what?"
Even as he protested, the reporter pressed on.
"You pledged your loyalty in Japan and even visited Yasukuni Shrine, didn't you. Even if you claim now that kimchi runs through your veins, who would believe it?"
The intent was unmistakable.
This was not an interview. It was an inquisition.
Jang Ae-guk clenched his fists and said,
"I will show…… a worthy performance."
"Yes, thank you."
Jang Ae-guk looked as though he had more to say, but the microphone was immediately passed to Park Je-hwang.
"Murim Alliance Leader, you've appeared in this tournament like a true shooting star. Is there a reason you chose the alias Murim Alliance Leader?"
The reporter's voice was bright. Markedly different from how she had addressed Jang Ae-guk.
Park Je-hwang answered.
"I enjoy martial arts novels. In those stories, the Murim Alliance Leader is the embodiment of justice and the strongest person in all of Murim. So I chose that name with the resolve to become someone just as righteous and strong."
Park Je-hwang—tall, with an imposing frame.
Eyes sharp and bold beneath distinctively shaped brows visible above his half-mask, he spoke with confidence.
Another wave of cheers erupted.
"What a magnificent alias! The incredible martial arts you displayed were truly a spectacle—matches that had everyone on the edge of their seat. I hear there's a particular opponent you remember?"
"The French climber I faced in Round 3."
"You mean Lucian Ferrand. Any reason?"
"Lucian had a habit of making racist remarks. Not long ago he gave an interview about the Republic of Korea while pulling at the corners of his eyes. And I also saw that SNS incident."
The reporter became animated and followed up.
"Yes! I saw it too. Lucian livestreamed himself in a club with Korean women on both sides while making sexually degrading comments in French. It was an incident that enraged the entire nation."
She was referring to the incident where Lucian had uploaded a video of himself laughing and demeaning women in French at a club.
Park Je-hwang had left Lucian in a near-death state in Round 3.
"So that's why you fought so ferociously in Round 3!"
"Yes. As a citizen, I simply could not stand for it."
"It was so satisfying to watch! It truly feels like no alias could suit the righteous Murim Alliance Leader more. But you know, Murim Alliance Leader—there's something every citizen has been curious about."
"Please, go ahead."
"Murim Alliance Leader, you always wear a mask that covers more than half your face, and your real name hasn't been properly revealed either. Would you perhaps share it here, right now?"
Waaaaaah—!
The stadium erupted as though it might burst.
Park Je-hwang smiled with his eyes and answered.
"If I win, I will reveal my name and face."
Waaaaaah—! A towering wave of cheers crashed through.
"What a shame. We will be sincerely cheering and looking forward to it. Now then, lastly—your thoughts going into this final match?"
"I intend to show that there is no glory for a prodigal son who returns."
At those words, Jang Ae-guk squeezed his eyes shut and let out a short sigh.
"Murim Alliance Leader! Murim Alliance Leader!"
100,000 spectators chanting his alias in a single voice, in a frenzy.
‘An execution disguised as an interview.’
……A situation he had brought upon himself.
Jang Ae-guk, on the eve of arrest.
The Republic of Korea's National Intelligence Service came back to him with a proposition.
They promised to open the door for his naturalization back into Korea, and pledged glory in return.
They had even pulled him out of Japan and given him enormous compensation.
"They called it the antidote to the 37th floor, didn't they."
But.
The glory they had promised was never meant to be his.
"They planned to elevate the Murim Alliance Leader by offering my neck as the sacrifice."
Amid the cheers pouring toward the Murim Alliance Leader.
Jang Ae-guk lifted his eyes to the VIP seats.
President Park Jae-yeol sat there with arms folded, glaring down at him.
Behind the President.
The director of Japan's Murim Tower Administration was in attendance.
The Presidential Security Service stood in dense formation.
Some even carried sniper rifles.
Jang Ae-guk recalled Minister of Justice Pyeon Jae-yeong, who had come to visit him the day before.
"You are to lose in the final."
"Are you telling me to throw the match deliberately?"
"You couldn't win anyway. There's no need to strain yourself unnecessarily."
"And if I push forward regardless?"
"You'll die, Jang Ae-guk."
It was no empty threat.
He was a traitor to the Republic of Korea.
He was precisely the kind of person whose death would be met not with grief, but with applause.
"Damn it. How did I end up……."
……A match he was supposed to lose.
Phft.
Jang Ae-guk, standing below the stage, broke into a smile.
Compared to himself, who had been reduced to nothing.
Under the sunlight, the Murim Alliance Leader's back was shining far too brilliantly.