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chapter 116
From the moment Lee Hyun entered the CEO’s office, he had fully opened his Yoma senses.
He was curious how the Mountain Spirit and the executive team would appear to his eyes.
Director Geum Ji-sang was formidable.
“A massive will stands like a towering door. It looks like one of the Four Heavenly Kings statues you see in Buddhist temples… It’s absolutely unbreakable.”
Its depth was extraordinary.
It felt entirely different from the high-ranking opponents he had faced before, like Executive Director Jung or Michael Shepherd.
“Executive Director Ho… sharp. And ferocious. It looks like he’ll tear everything apart.”
Executive Director Ho was the polar opposite of Geum Ji-sang.
A wild beast.
He seemed entirely consumed by madness, focused only on biting and tearing.
Once, they had been said to be the shields and spears that the Mountain Spirit proudly wielded.
Lee Hyun found the contrast between the two natures fascinating.
“Team Leader Im, on the other hand… vast. Forests, rivers… a mountain. A mountain that knows how to embrace everything.”
Yet, it was shrouded in mist, a mystical mountain whose interior was hard to discern.
And…
“The Mountain Spirit… I can’t see.”
When Lee Hyun fixed his Yoma sense on Mojong-gun, he was shocked.
It wasn’t hidden like when Son Goku had stored it away—it wasn’t invisible.
“It’s too immense!”
The image was so vast he couldn’t even begin to grasp it.
Like a blind man touching an elephant’s leg can’t know it’s an elephant, or a tiny ant cannot comprehend the full size of the mountain it lives on, Lee Hyun felt swept away as he tried to peer into Mojong-gun’s image.
Still, he managed to glean something:
White, elongated, and filled with some intricate pattern…
“You shouldn’t look that deeply, rookie.”
Suddenly, Son Goku’s voice pierced Lee Hyun’s ear.
“Do you think anyone wouldn’t feel uncomfortable if you stared that intently?”
“…!?”
Lee Hyun realized his carelessness and snapped back to awareness.
As expected, Mojong-gun was staring at him with a strange gaze, bamboo staff in mouth.
“Quite the unusual skill you’ve learned. You saw my ‘tail’ too?”
Tail?
Lee Hyun quickly bowed.
“I apologize if it was unpleasant.”
“Enough. Had you pushed further, I might have smashed your head with the staff. But it’s fine this time.”
Mojong-gun spoke with a hint of amusement, but Lee Hyun was sweating cold.
If he had been struck with that solid bamboo staff, he probably wouldn’t have survived.
“…?”
“Is something the matter?”
“Nothing. Nothing at all.”
Although Executive Director Im and the executives looked on curiously, Mojong-gun waved it off and returned the conversation to its original topic.
“Ah, and…”
“…?”
“Those Yankees, how did you manage them?”
“Are you referring to Astra?”
“Yes. They expressed interest in joining this operation alongside you.”
Lee Hyun briefly met Kim Min-jung’s eyes.
He spoke:
“It wasn’t really a roasting, just minor friction. Did they put forward any unusual conditions?”
“No, quite the opposite. They’ve become very compliant. They seemed ready to give everything.”
“…!?”
Mojong-gun grinned while biting the bamboo staff.
“Even their director personally called me. He used to act all mysterious and haughty. But he didn’t mention striking mainland China directly; he only expressed wanting to support us against the committee.”
Phew—
Mojong-gun seemed pleased that the U.S., which had been applying pressure, had softened.
“This change came after the last meeting. I wondered if any conversation with you might have caused it.”
Lee Hyun thought of Michael Shepherd.
A man willing to give his life for national interest—this decision must be an extension of that mindset.
It was hard to guess what reasoning led to this change, but there was no doubt many emotions were involved.
“I don’t know either. But I don’t think there’s any hidden agenda.”
After a brief pause, Lee Hyun answered.
“It’s fine if they’re backup. Just as long as it’s not a joint operation.”
“You want the glory without the risk, huh? If the Yankees accept this, they’re really going to get played. Fine. Proceed as you say.”
Mojong-gun lightly nodded at Geum Ji-sang.
Meaning: proceed exactly as told.
Geum Ji-sang lowered his head without objection.
Lee Hyun found this behavior fascinating.
“They don’t doubt me or Min-jung at all.”
Normally, when someone strict suddenly changed attitude, you’d suspect some side deal. But Mojong-gun seemed certain nothing like that could happen in her presence.
“A display of confidence, I suppose.”
Indeed, her eyes seemed to pierce through the world. Nothing could be hidden from her.
The fact she wasn’t surprised when they revealed they would strike mainland China proved that.
“Daeseong valued freedom and independence. Then what does the Mountain Spirit value?”
He began to have a vague understanding.
—Bold.
Mojong-gun was not bound by trivialities and saw broadly.
—Overwhelming.
Yet because of that, she could stand above everything.
Before her, all beings seemed insignificant.
“And take this.”
Mojong-gun tossed a scroll to Lee Hyun.
“What is this?”
Instinctively, he unfurled it.
Inside was a Jakho-do—a traditional folk painting of a tiger and a magpie.
“This is for when you go to China. Haven’t you forgotten? After Executive Director Jung’s matters, you were to come see it.”
“But didn’t you already give me the Baekilhyangdan?”
“That’s the foundation, In-seok. How can you call that a teaching?”
“…!”
“Study it carefully. It seems you’ve learned the ‘flow’ along with your unusual skill. If so, this will be quite helpful.”
Mojong-gun smirked.
Lee Hyun stared at the Jakho-do for a long moment, then quietly rolled it and put it in his inventory.
“I will make good use of it, thank you.”
“Good. Use it with gratitude, and return the favor to our company.”
Lee Hyun smiled lightly and bowed.
After Lee Hyun and the others left, only Mojong-gun and Im Wonyoung remained in the office.
The aroma of tea was strong and pleasant.
“You gave away a treasured item?”
“Why? It was originally meant for you, but someone else snatched it. You mad?”
“Not at all. I told you—the investment in Team Leader Jang is an investment in me.”
Im Wonyoung shook his head firmly.
Mojong-gun found her granddaughter fascinating.
Innately ambitious, yet remarkably generous in this regard.
“You said Team Leader Jang learned something elsewhere, right?”
“Indeed.”
“Does she have another mentor? As far as I know, her teacher, Lieutenant General Lee, is…”
“A tinkering engineer in his private lab. How could he teach that wild one?”
“Then…?”
“She has another teacher. This time, they’ve formally become master and student. Her temperament has completely changed.”
“…!”
“In some ways, she’s an even more ruthless monster than me. Perhaps that’s good for her.”
“…!?”
Im Wonyoung’s eyes widened.
Who in Korea could have taught her? He couldn’t think of anyone—especially someone Mojong-gun would acknowledge.
“You have a guess, then?”
“A guess…? Haha. Yes, a guess, if you will.”
Im Wonyoung didn’t fully understand, but Mojong-gun continued while sipping her tea.
“Originally, she had talent and promise. I considered taking her as your formal student, but…”
Im Wonyoung stiffened slightly.
“It seems that won’t work. Dividing her focus between two goals would only hinder her growth. Instead, I’ll offer some guidance.”
“Guidance…?”
“Do you know what’s remarkable about her? Even with an excellent teacher, she deliberately tries to carve her own path, not the one laid out by her master.”
“….”
“Even if I had taken her, she wouldn’t have obeyed easily. So the guidance I can give is limited.”
Mojong-gun smiled at her reflection in the remaining tea.
“I’ll give her a new sword. A sword to refine the flow.”
“…?”
Im Wonyoung still didn’t understand, but she could tell Mojong-gun was impressed with Lee Hyun.
“So keep striving. Or she might really be snatched away.”
“Don’t worry.”
At that moment,
Paatsutsu-
Im Wonyoung waved her hand lightly in the air. Smoke drifted and formed the shape of a bird.
A bird, resembling the magpie in the Jakho-do, perched on her index finger.
“I’m running hard too.”
“Good.”
The bird soared into the sky, and Im Wonyoung watched quietly, smiling.
“You’ve received a precious gift.”
As they left the office, Executive Director Ho followed Lee Hyun and Kim Min-jung.
Although they were headed to maneuver Um Gi-seon, Ho seemed to enjoy speaking with Lee Hyun more.
“What on earth is this?”
“Ho-wang Style (Tiger King Style).”
“Ho-wang… style?”
Lee Hyun tilted his head, unsure what it was.
[Unable to appraise this item. It is not recognized as an item.]
It wasn’t a skill book nor a manual—it contained no words.
“I can’t open it with Yoma sense. There’s clearly a massive amount of will and imagery inside…”
Saojeong and Bungmawang hovered above his head, arms crossed, curiously looking at the Jakho-do.
“If mishandled, it could lead to death, or the student could be taken! Amazing willpower. Did the human become a god and pour that experience into this?”
“It’s incredible! It would synergize perfectly with the flow techniques! I couldn’t have drawn this myself. Truly unique.”
“…!?”
Even Saojeong said so? Bungmawang nodded in agreement.
“If the flow represents movement and ideals, this is a frame to shape that flow. It seems deliberately refined for you.”
“…!!”
Lee Hyun’s eyes widened. This could chart a new path for his flow techniques.
“What are you staring at! Throw it away! It’s an ill-omened object!”
Son Goku leapt around frantically, which only strengthened Lee Hyun’s resolve.
“Yes! My student! Now you understand me! Naturally, this should be discarded—”
‘Better take care of it properly.’
“What!?!”
One could tell whether an object would be useful based on Son Goku’s jealousy. The same applied to Executive Director Ho.
“Ho-wang Style was originally given to only two people. One of them is Team Leader Im.”
Lee Hyun chuckled. He knew the scroll’s weight differed, but giving it to him too?
Then who was the other person?
“It means you’ve become special to her. Ho-wang Style is her power and avatar. Great for honing your sword. Once unlocked, it will be extremely helpful. And—”
“…?”
“Once Ho-wang Style is mastered, you could even challenge the Mountain Spirit Festival. Train well.”
“…!!”
“Haha. If the executives and team leaders knew, they’d faint. Even I envy it.”
Lee Hyun knew the Mountain Spirit Festival well. It symbolized Mojong-gun’s power, her signature.
To think Ho-wang Style was a stepping stone to that… now he understood why Saojeong and Bungmawang were so excited, and why Son Goku was displeased.
“The Mountain Spirit Festival rivals even flow techniques. If Daeseong acknowledged the Mountain Spirit’s signature as a worthy rival…!”
Lee Hyun nodded, gently handling the Jakho-do, intending to study it later.
“So then…”
Ho paused, staring at Lee Hyun. His lips twisted.
“To unlock Ho-wang Style properly, you’ll need actual combat. Are you ready?”
Lee Hyun glanced at Ho’s blazing eyes and chuckled.
He remembered a previous promise to spar with him sometime…
And now, seeing his own changed temperament, Ho’s competitive spirit was clearly ignited.
The problem:
‘I feel the same way.’
Lee Hyun also strongly wanted to face him in a match.
Previously, newly ranked, he had worried he couldn’t match him, but now, having learned the flow techniques and controlling will, he could hold his own.
The question remained: how effective would his skills be against a high-ranker?
“Shall we?”
Kim Min-jung, seeing Lee Hyun’s reaction, tapped her wristwatch with a pout.
He glanced at the time: 4:11 PM.
The Blue Thunder meeting was at 7 in Uijeongbu; they needed to leave at least two hours in advance.
“Alright. But I’ll finish by 5.”
“Impressive confidence. Good.”
“Senior!!”
Kim Min-jung shouted beside him, but Lee Hyun and Executive Director Ho were already too fired up to hear.
