Chapter 139
Chapter 139: December 31, January 1 (2)
I pointed to the two figures in the photo and explained to Jo Je-bin and Lee Won-ryong.
"That's former Gukmubon Minister Han Seung-pyo and his daughter, Chief Han."
"Pardon?"
"That can't be right!"
Both of them stared intently at the CCTV photo again, but it was clear they still couldn't tell.
Then Jo Je-bin spoke first.
"Master is correct. Without a doubt."
Lee Won-ryong shot him a look.
"Elder Jo. Just a moment ago you said 'Pardon?' as if you disagreed."
"No. I said 'Yes!' in affirmation."
"Ha!"
"Since Master has said so, it is certain. Zero percent doubt."
Lee Won-ryong's jaw dropped as he stared at Jo Je-bin.
"Y-you, you little—!"
"My faith in Master is ten thousand percent."
"Enough!"
I pressed my fingers to my forehead as I watched the two of them bicker.
Aah.
‘How did it come to this?’
‘Smart Lee Won-ryong, now looking like a fool.’
‘Jo Je-bin somehow comes out looking better in this situation.’
Come to think of it, when I went to Paris this time, the Red Dragon Gate's response to the yakuza had been extremely passive.
No—it was practically nothing at all.
[Kim Tae-yang reproaches you, saying ‘Poison Demon. This is your fault’. +1 Happiness]
Kim Tae-yang was right.
The command I had planted in Lee Won-ryong through the Gu Poison was simply: Obey.
Lee Won-ryong's way of thinking had naturally shifted to align with the Gu Poison.
And as a result—
He hadn't been able to go beyond the order I'd given him before leaving for Paris: Hold your ground.
Indeed.
Gu Poison is not almighty.
I'll have to set aside a day to withdraw the Gu Poison I fed Lee Won-ryong.
[Kim Tae-yang grins and says, ‘See? Good thing you didn't feed Gu Poison to Im Ye-rin, right?’ +1 Happiness]
Kim Tae-yang, still not over his lingering feelings for Im Ye-rin.
I didn't respond to him. I let out a long sigh and asked Lee Won-ryong.
"Lee Won-ryong, what's with that ridiculous hat?"
Lee Won-ryong, who had been wearing a fedora, reached up to touch it.
"Ah. This……"
He hesitated, then—
Whoosh.
He took it off, as if embarrassed.
Shine—
The bare, gleaming scalp was exposed again. The effect of the Wind Fur Moss, applied through the Great Law of Reversal, had worn off and his hair loss was rapidly advancing once more.
The top of his head was completely bare, with only the sides remaining—
He looked exactly like the Japanese mythical creature, the Kappa.
"Ugh—!"
Jo Je-bin squeezed his eyes shut and whipped his head to the side.
His lips were twitching; it was plain to see he was trembling, desperately trying to hold back an eruption of laughter.
Lee Won-ryong let out a sigh.
"It was happy, if only for a moment, living as Beethoven."
"Pfft—hahaha!"
Jo Je-bin finally couldn't hold it in and burst out laughing.
"……Jo Je-bin."
"Y-yes. Mm—. Master."
He hastily covered his mouth.
"Does your superior's grief amuse you?"
"S-sorry."
"Bow your head to the floor."
Jo Je-bin immediately dropped down and pressed his forehead to the ground.
I pressed both of them.
"A former minister of the Republic of Korea and a senior official are out there working this hard, and what have you two been doing?"
"We're sorry……"
"I told you to hold your ground. Who said anything about losing it? You're on the verge of having the Black Market taken by the yakuza!"
"We were wrong."
"Jo Je-bin, get up! Lee Won-ryong, put your hat back on."
The two stood before me in the at-ease position.
I pointed to the photo of Han Seung-pyo and Chief Han.
"Join forces with the vigilante group here and have a proper fight."
At that, Jo Je-bin hesitantly replied,
"We have no way of meeting Minister Han Seung-pyo and Chief Han."
"I'll handle that, so just gather your best fighters."
And then I realized there was one thing I'd left out.
"Lee Won-ryong. Before I left last time, I said the Red Dragon Gate wouldn't enter the Super Tower Climber competition and would hold our own separate competition instead. What happened with that?"
"After you departed, it was halted briefly."
"Who decided that?"
Lee Won-ryong flinched and continued.
"Well, the first round of preliminaries was held, and we've narrowed it down to about a hundred decent candidates."
"Attach those hundred to the vigilante group. Our competition will be replaced by that operation."
"Understood!"
"Get some real fire going in those kids. Tell them I'll be handing out great rewards."
"Yes, we'll prepare."
"Hey, you bastards. I trusted you and went on a business trip, and this is the mess I come back to!"
"……"
The moment I started tearing into them the instant I returned to Korea, neither of them could get their bearings.
"Haah, I should just give up talking. You two are aging me. Aging me."
I rose from my seat.
"Handle it properly. I'll be in touch."
"Yes. Master."
I handed them a paper bag.
"Take this home and give it to the kids."
"What is it?"
"Souvenirs."
* * *
The moment Master disappeared—
Lee Won-ryong turned on Jo Je-bin.
"Jo Je-bin."
"I'm sorry. Gate Master."
Thwack!
Lee Won-ryong kicked Jo Je-bin in the shin.
"Argh!"
Jo Je-bin clutched his shin and hopped on one foot.
Lee Won-ryong looked like his anger still wasn't spent and moved to kick him again, but stopped.
Once the pain subsided, Jo Je-bin picked himself up and let out a long sigh.
"Ugh…… I thought we were going to be praised, but we got a proper scolding."
More confused in the head than in the shin where Lee Won-ryong had kicked him, he wiped his face with his palm twice over.
Then Lee Won-ryong spoke with a smile.
"Elder Jo. You still have a long way to go. You don't know Master at all."
"Pardon?"
"Think about it—he praised us. You've been scolded by Master before, right? What happened then?"
"My leg was broken."
Lee Won-ryong nodded.
"I nearly died. When Master truly sets out to punish someone, you have to brace for death. And yet right now—"
He gestured to himself and Jo Je-bin.
"Neither of us was hit even once, was he?"
"That's true."
"He praised us. Truth is, he's in quite a good mood."
Lee Won-ryong smiled contentedly and continued to enlighten Jo Je-bin.
"You have to enter Master's mind. Only then can you become a true subordinate. Understand?"
"Yes, I'll keep that in mind. But what's the souvenir Master gave us?"
Rustle.
Lee Won-ryong opened the bag.
Inside were two boxes of handmade chocolates.
And a medicine bottle labeled ‘Improved Hair Growth Elixir’.
Lee Won-ryong held up the hair growth medicine to Jo Je-bin with a proud expression.
"What did I tell you."
[Lee Won-ryong murmurs, ‘Aah, my Master. My father…….’ +1,000 Happiness]
[Jo Je-bin repeats to himself, ‘I want to be loved by Master like that too’. +500 Happiness]
* * *
President Park Jae-yeol was holding his phone with both hands, unusual for him.
An unconscious action, without even realizing it himself.
The reason was none other than who had called—
None other than Hwangbo Geom, the greatest swordsman in the world.
—Was it ‘Nameless Hero?’ The one who's apparently started causing a storm lately.
Hwangbo Geom referred to that extraordinary Nameless Hero as a troublemaker.
It didn't come across as arrogant.
Hwangbo Geom was someone who could rightly say as much.
"For you to begin Tower climbing again, Hwangbo Sir—it is a great honor for the Republic of Korea."
—Hehe. Don't worry if that so-called Nameless Hero or whatever is not around in the Republic of Korea.
Hwangbo Geom gave a light laugh.
"Thank you."
—Preparations are complete. My physical condition is perfect, and my realm has risen several stages.
"I'm relieved to hear it. Sir."
—At this level, I should be able to clear the 50th floor in about a year, and then some.
Park Jae-yeol felt a momentary sense of puzzlement when Hwangbo Geom mentioned the 50th floor.
"Excuse me, Sir—wasn't it the 30th floor where you stopped climbing? A year would be physically impossible……"
Hwangbo Geom replied firmly.
—Currently at the 36th floor. I've also had a look at the 37th.
"……!"
Park Jae-yeol was taken aback.
Everyone had assumed Hwangbo Geom had ceased his Tower climbing.
But the words just spoken—
Meant that he had, in fact, continued climbing all along.
"It seems you were climbing in another country. Haha, even I wasn't aware."
—There were circumstances. In any case, don't worry any longer. I shall deliver word of clearing the 37th floor as a New Year's gift to Your Excellency.
"Sir! Does that mean you'll be taking our Je-hwang along for the climb?"
—That boy Je-hwang……. He doesn't listen well.
His heart lurched.
—I clearly told him not to use the title ‘Murim Alliance Leader’. And yet, huuu……. Goodness, who in the world did he take after? Tsk.
The latter part of Hwangbo Geom's words was nearly inaudible, his voice trailing to almost nothing—
But Park Jae-yeol, receiving the call, felt his face flush crimson.
"……It is my fault for raising him poorly."
Park Jae-yeol swallowed his anger and offered his apology.
But Hwangbo Geom did not respond.
Park Jae-yeol let out a sigh and resumed the call.
"I apologize. Allow me to send you a fine gift."
—No need. I've already received more than enough from Je-hwang.
"Pardon?"
—Regardless, I intend to climb alone this time.
A firm answer.
Park Jae-yeol wrapped up the call.
"……Understood. I wish you good fortune."
Click.
After ending the call, Park Jae-yeol let out a sigh so deep it could sink the ground.
There was much he wanted to ask, but Hwangbo Geom had not brought it up, and that was suffocating.
"Damn it!"
Clearing the 37th floor of the Murim Tower was the Republic of Korea's foremost long-held wish.
Other countries had developed antidotes, and some like France and Japan had succeeded in clearing the 37th floor using the antidote created by the Nameless Hero—
Yet the Republic of Korea, the very country from which the Nameless Hero had emerged, still had no news of a 37th floor clear.
It was because Park Jae-yeol had not wanted it.
He had been preoccupied with the Nameless Hero incident, and he had kept the 37th floor clear as a last resort.
A dramatic reversal card to overturn public opinion.
Four bottles of the 37th floor antidote still in Park Jae-yeol's possession.
He could pass them to Chief Han, though contact had been lost, or he could give them to Jang Ae-guk and order the clear.
But what he wanted most was his grandson—
Park Je-hwang clearing the 37th floor.
Park Je-hwang was Gold rank.
No.
That was impossible, so—if he cleared the 37th floor at Red rank—
Not only could the backlash of public criticism directed at Park Je-hwang be silenced in an instant—
His own stagnant approval rating would shoot straight up in a single stroke.
"Damn Hwangbo Geom. Choosing this moment of all times to suddenly start climbing."
The timing was outrageous.
The 37th floor clear that Park Jae-yeol had saved for the very last—
He had felt the time had finally come, and had just been about to push Park Je-hwang toward the 37th floor—
When Hwangbo Geom, an obstacle he had never even considered, suddenly appeared.
"He's about to steal the glorious meal I've laid out."
His head throbbed with a pounding headache.
At that moment, Pyeon Jae-yeong entered.
Park Jae-yeol looked at him with an unfavorable eye.
"What is it this time?"
Pyeon Jae-yeong spoke urgently.
"The Japanese Prime Minister's private plane is now entering Incheon airspace."
"We already notified the Prime Minister's office that we were refusing, didn't we?!"
"He's being unreasonable. He's circling above the airport, demanding clearance to land."
"Infuriating bastards!"
Of course, Park Jae-yeol himself had done the same in Paris—
But experiencing it firsthand felt absurd beyond measure.
At the same time, part of him understood.
The Japanese Prime Minister was surely desperate to the point of madness right now.
Three months remaining until the Murim Tower's collapse deadline.
The Japanese archipelago was in a panic—
And Haneda Airport was in chaos with citizens attempting to flee Japan.
With fire at his feet, the Japanese Prime Minister had gone to America and come straight to Korea.
Park Jae-yeol asked.
"What became of the Japanese Prime Minister's business in America?"
According to intelligence from the National Intelligence Service and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he had requested antidotes from America and demanded clearance methods from the 39th floor onward.
"It appears to have been resolved."
"He got the antidote from America—so why bother forcing his way into Korea?"
"It's that the reliable antidote is in our possession, after all. The Musashi Brothers proved it with their 37th and 38th floor clears."
Pyeon Jae-yeong pressed his lips shut.
"Micky Drumpet must have walked away with an enormous price."
"The exact figure hasn't been revealed, but according to sources, it's said Japan agreed to invest approximately 250 billion dollars into America."
"Cheaper than I expected."
It was a sum amounting to 350 trillion won.
Nearly half of the Republic of Korea's total annual expenditure.
But by Micky Drumpet's standards, it was less than expected—he had settled for it.
"Perhaps the Japanese Prime Minister got down on his knees."
"That would be an even bigger problem."
What the Japanese Prime Minister wanted was just one thing.
The antidote needed to break through the 39th floor, which they had yet to clear.
But it was something Park Jae-yeol could never hand over.
"Grant the Prime Minister landing clearance at the airport, and have him wait."
"Yes, Your Excellency."
Park Jae-yeol wanted to tear his hair out.
[What if I were to demand you hand over your grandson?]
The words the Nameless Hero had spoken at the Louvre came to mind.
"……Should I have just agreed to give everything then and there."
Park Jae-yeol took out his phone.
The business card he had given the Nameless Hero when they met—
The contact written on it was known to only one person.
The Nameless Hero.
In other words, the sole means of communication between himself and the Nameless Hero.
He had checked several times over whether any missed calls had come in.
But there had been no contact whatsoever. Not a single one.
"Huuuu—"
Nothing but sighs kept coming.
[A Christmas gift, Your Excellency.]
Like the USB Pyeon Jae-yeong had given him saying it was a Christmas gift—
Wouldn't it be wonderful if he appeared out of nowhere, bearing a New Year's gift?
Just then.
Brrring—brrring.
His phone began to ring.