Chapter 1472: Finalizing (2) |
“Are you satisfied now?”
“…”
Reynold Spencer grew curious just then.
Kang Jin-Ho was the one who did all the heavy lifting, so why did Lee Hyeon-Su sound so triumphant just now? As if he was the hero of this tale?
Spencer had to work very hard to suppress his twitching facial muscles.
“O-okay, uhm…”
He knew he needed to say something, but what could he even say in this situation?”
“O-okay, so…”
He could still see the distant desert covered in flames and black smoke. At least the flames were gradually dying out, but the smoke still belched out from the devastated land to darken the heavens above. It was as if a volcano had opened up in that area.
Spencer didn’t feel so good while staring at that carnage in the distance.
Even though he wanted to see an outcome similar to this, how could he feel happy about his country’s military experiencing such devastation? Those soldiers were supposed to be the protectors of this country, after all.
The protagonist responsible for creating that devastation was leisurely approaching them right now.
Kang Jin-Ho’s gait was relaxed. Unhurried, as if he was on a Sunday stroll. But that only flooded Spencer with this indescribable sense of incongruity instead.
“Fuu…”
Spencer spat out a quick but quiet sigh. He got the outcome he wanted, but the devastation visible in the distance definitely was not what he hoped for. No, what he wanted to see was Kang Jin-Ho surgically “breaking through” the defensive formation and reaching the undersecretary’s location.
In that regard, the outcome he got was definitely what he asked for, wasn’t it?
But the process of producing that outcome was not what Spencer had in mind. In fact, the difference between what Kang Jin-Ho had done and what Spencer expected to see was like night and day!
While Spencer thought Kang Jin-Ho would slip past the armored division’s bombardment, Kang Jin-Ho quite literally destroyed his way past the defenses.
If he knew he’d get this kind of outcome, Spencer would’ve thought twice about going ahead with this gamble disguised as a training exercise.
Kang Jin-Ho’s leisurely steps finally brought him to Spencer’s vicinity. He then stared apathetically at the American. “Is there something else you want me to do?”
“N-no, sir! This was it!”
Spencer hurriedly replied while flinching nastily. Something else?! What did Kang Jin-Ho mean by that? Did he want to cause more havoc or something?
Kang Jin-Ho casually shrugged. “Then, let’s get out of here.”
“Understood. I’ll… call for a helicopter right away.”
Spencer nervously swallowed his saliva.
So, this was what one of the Four Kings was capable of?
He believed Kang Jin-Ho had revealed his strength back in Area H27. But today’s demonstration amply proved that notion wrong. What was even more terrifying was that Kang Jin-Ho still hadn’t gone all out today!
As if to prove that, Kang Jin-Ho hadn’t shed a single drop of sweat.
“Assembly Master, sir… Do you mind if I ask you a question?”
Kang Jin-Ho glanced at Spencer in disinterest. “No. Go ahead.”
“If you go all out, how many… No, how big of an army can you fight against?”
Kang Jin-Ho chuckled helplessly. “I see that you’re not a soldier, then.”
“Sorry? B-but I am…”
Spencer was rendered speechless just then.
Kang Jin-Ho was technically right and wrong at the same time. Spencer was definitely a soldier, but he didn’t walk the usual career path of an ordinary soldier, after all.
“Your question is meaningless. Because the answer will change depending on the situation.”
“…”
“Your side seems to be too hung-up on the idea of having better firepower. However, think about this for a minute.
“Imagine a large-scale missile base that’s being protected by unarmed personnel. Do you think that base boasts incredible firepower? Even though a group of well-armed assassins infiltrating the base would have resulted in everyone’s death? In that case, which one is stronger? The missiles or the guns?”
Spencer realized he couldn’t readily answer that.
“Before you talk about firepower, thinking about the method will serve you better in the long run.”
Spencer grimly replied, “I’ll… We will definitely remember that, sir.”
Kang Jin-Ho glanced at the devastated 15th armored division. He didn’t feel like a bigger man for what happened today.
If the military had tried to maintain the distance before initiating their bombardment and had even called for the air force to join in the battle, Kang Jin-Ho could very well be holding his funeral today in this nameless desert instead.
This outcome was only possible due to the combination of the military’s zero understanding of martial artists and their complacency. Of course, even if they hadn’t been so lax, Kang Jin-Ho still had a plan in mind, anyway.
Well, now I know one thing for sure.
Martial artists could never win against an army. Kang Jin-Ho might be able to win, but the Martial Assembly would not. No one in the Assembly could match Kang Jin-Ho’s overwhelming speed, after all.
That didn’t mean the members of the Assembly were weak, though. Because the same would’ve applied even to the Three Kings’ factions.
Martial artists below the Transcendent realm would never be able to withstand the modern military’s firepower. And the number of experts strong enough to ignore the thick metal armor and destroy tanks should be low, too.
Whether it was the Assembly or the Three Kings and their factions…. The only reason they could boast an upper hand against the military was solely because of the existence of Kang Jin-Ho and the Three Kings.
As long as these four existed, the military would think twice about provoking the martial artists. Why? Because, no matter which army it was, there had to be someone at the top issuing commands. And the Four Kings had the power to kill that someone if they wanted to.
However, what if the Four Kings were no longer in the picture?
Yeah, I get it. Martial artists won’t survive.
It was safe to say the Four Kings were the “irregulars” of this situation.
After Kang Jin-Ho’s passing, would the Assembly be able to produce another expert with the potential to reach Kang Jin-Ho’s realm? What about the Crimson King’s faction, then? Would it be able to find a successor with the right potential once the Crimson King passed on?
In Kang Jin-Ho’s opinion, that was impossible.
Effort alone was simply not enough for an expert to reach such a cultivation realm.
An unbelievable amount of effort, extraordinary talent, and even heavenly luck must accompany a cultivator for them to have a chance of reaching such a realm. Kang Jin-Ho hadn’t met the other two Kings, so he couldn’t judge how strong they were, but if they boasted a similar level of strength as the Crimson King…
Then, he could say seeing so many powerful experts like this was unprecedented, considering the era they were in.
Four cultivators, each strong enough to conquer any era, existed in the modern era. And their existences kept the balance of this world. If they destroyed each other, or died after losing the fight against time itself, the martial world would lose against the surface world’s military that enjoyed the benefit of continuously improving technology.
Kang Jin-Ho might have won today, but he walked away feeling a little bitter, too. Because it felt like he had witnessed the already-set-in-stone fate of the martial world during this battle.
I’m sure the martial world will adapt somehow. No… We must adapt.
However, Kang Jin-Ho wasn’t really pessimistic about the future.
The martial artists of the current era differed a lot from their ancient counterparts, after all. Humanity had a knack for adapting to the changing times, didn’t they? So, the martial artists would also change and adapt to the changing world somehow.
Kang Jin-Ho wasn’t caring and broad-minded enough to worry about what would happen after he was long dead. What mattered to him was the present, his life.
Kang Jin-Ho glanced at Spencer and confirmed the shock and fluster on the American’s face—a sure sign of things going according to plan.
Spencer stuttered slightly. “I… I d-didn’t think martial artists could be this powerful.”
“Oh, that’s because…”
Lee Hyeon-Su was about to say something, but stopped when Kang Jin-Ho silently stared at him. That alone was enough for Lee Hyeon-Su to figure out Kang Jin-Ho’s intentions. A subtle smirk floated up on Lee Hyeon-Su’s face.
Kang Jin-Ho chuckled, too. Lee Hyeon-Su and his quick wits could still amaze him at times like this.
“Mister Spencer, don’t be too shocked by the Assembly Master’s strength. After all, the Martial Assembly is diligently nurturing the potential successors to the Assembly Master even as we speak, you see?”
That was a lie, of course.
Kang Jin-Ho and Lee Hyeon-Su both knew that. Grab a passing Assembly member and repeat that line, and they would clutch their stomach, roll around on the floor, and start laughing their ass off for the three days straight!
However, there were times when a man simply had to lie with a straight face. And that would be when one’s benefits were on the line!
“Besides, even if it wasn’t the Assembly Master, Mister Wiggins or Elder Chang Min could have produced a roughly similar result, as well.”
Wiggins’ eyes opened wider as he listened.
What? Me?
Well, Lee Hyeon-Su was right, technically speaking, about the result being roughly similar. It was just that the one doing the beating-up and the one receiving said beating-up would get reversed in that scenario!
Wiggins had no confidence of surviving the military’s firepower. His Shield spell wouldn’t even be able to withstand five tank-fired rounds, after all. He’d be too busy squeezing out every drop of mana to protect himself, before turning into a block of Swiss cheese in the end.
Lee Hyeon-Su continued with his explanation. “I mean, you saw that earthquake, didn’t you?”
Wiggins’ jaw slightly fell. H-hang on, that’s only possible if various factors align properly… Mm?
That was when Spencer’s pale and stiff face turned toward Wiggins.
“K-kuh-hum!”
Wiggins covered his mouth with his fist and let out a loud fake cough. He might have the face of an actor, but his job definitely didn’t belong to the entertainment industry! Since that was the case, the best course of action was to clamp his mouth shut and say nothing.
“The… higher-ups will soon receive the detailed report of what went down here. That will help them make quick decisions,” said Spencer.
He was definitely convinced now. Without a doubt, the proposed deal would benefit America greatly.
Even if his side had to humor every one of the Assembly’s demands, that still sounded like a cheap price to pay for a chance to build bridges and strengthen America’s own Special Operations Brigade.
Imagine the soldiers of the SOB possessing half… No, even a quarter of Kang Jin-Ho’s strength! No one would dare look down on the SOB ever again.
Spencer’s expression hardened with determination. “As soon as I get back, the deal will…”
“Hold on. Hold on, now. No need to rush,” said Lee Hyeon-Su while gently pulling Spencer closer.
The American blinked his eyes in confusion while looking back at the suspiciously smiling Lee Hyeon-Su. “W-what is it, Mister Lee?”
“We should straighten out a few things first before you do that.”
“I’m sorry?”
Lee Hyeon-Su’s odious smirk deepened as his scheming personality revealed itself once more. “The previous terms didn’t include our Assembly Master’s fee, now did it?”
“…!”
“Simply signing a deal, and us giving you an up-close demonstration and an in-depth explanation before signing the deal, can’t be considered the same thing, no? That’d be unfair.”
“W-what do you have in mind?”
“I’d like to add a few more conditions, so…” Lee Hyeon-Su winked at Spencer. “Why don’t we sit down and discuss it at length?”
“…”
Why did Spencer taste this sickly sweet something in his mouth just then?
Kang Jin-Ho might be called the “demon” of the east, yet to Spencer’s eyes, the real demon was someone else.
Kang Jin-Ho chuckled while watching Spencer getting helplessly dragged away to somewhere in the desert for a re-negotiation.
“He’s having a tough time.”
Wiggins nodded. “He’s unlucky enough to get captured by the starving demon, after all. He’ll have to pay dearly for that.”
Kang Jin-Ho shifted his attention over to the distant 15th armored division. The soldiers were still in the middle of their recovery and reorganization efforts.
Wiggins cautiously asked, “What was your impression, my lord?”
“It was… like looking at the end of the road with my own eyes.”
“I think I understand what you mean,” Wiggins nodded again, this time with a wry smirk on his face.
He had been watching the martial world get pushed farther and farther into obscurity by the surface world since he was a young lad. That was why he could easily empathize with Kang Jin-Ho’s sentiments.
Kang Jin-Ho sighed. “Chang Min must’ve had it tough.”
“Yes, I agree. He had witnessed far more than any of us, after all.”
Kang Jin-Ho thought about treating Chang Min a bit better from now on. Although, even he knew that he was “all talk and no action” in matters like this.
“Then… Is everything finished?” Kang Jin-Ho asked while glancing at Wiggins.
“Yes, my lord. We don’t have anything else left on our itinerary other than signing the deal into effect. However…” Wiggins glanced at where Lee Hyeon-Su was. “The negotiation is still ongoing, it seems.”
“…” Kang Jin-Ho helplessly shook his head, then turned his head to stare at the distant helicopter closing in to take them home. “This trip has been fruitful in its own way.”
“Indeed, my lord. Although, I’m torn between calling it a vacation or a business trip at this point. What will you do now? Would you like to stay a bit longer? And enjoy the sights and sounds of this country some more?”
“No,” Kang Jin-Ho slowly shook his head. “I’ve had enough, I think. I’m just not suited to a life in America or Europe. Let’s just go head to Korea.”
“Understood. Then, it’s time for us to test out the new portal.”
“Oh? It’s finished?”
“Yes. All that’s left is to test it out, my lord. But we still need a little more time to prepare various things since it’s a spell that crosses a vast distance.”
“Hmm…” Kang Jin-Ho slowly nodded again.
It wasn’t as if he hated flying, but the idea of a much-faster mode of transport appealed to him a lot more. And not being able to smoke in the plane didn’t sit well with him, either!
As the night descended on this nameless stretch of the desert, Kang Jin-Ho’s eyes grew withdrawn.
“Let’s go home.”
His still voice scattered into the void as the helicopter noisily reached their location.