🔊 TTS Settings
chapter 119
“It was extremely noisy… looks like a total mess.”
Director Geum Ji-sang frowned as he entered the underground training hall, hands clasped behind his back.
After Lee Hyun and Executive Ho’s sparring match ended, the once-bustling training hall had emptied, leaving only Executive Ho cooling off in sweat.
“Oh, you’re here? You’re late. It was a rare, brilliant match these days.”
“Brilliant match? What are you going to do about these facilities? They’re all wrecked.”
Geum Ji-sang tapped a few devices and item cores with his hand, clicking his tongue in disapproval.
The impact had been so strong that the Spartan Rule probably couldn’t be used for a while. The same went for the other equipment. Nothing was left intact in the training hall.
“For the time being, I’ll deduct it from your salary. Consider that fair warning.”
“Are you crazy!? That’s absurd! Even if you take a flea’s liver, there’s a limit!”
Executive Ho laughed nervously and then leapt in shock.
But Geum Ji-sang only sneered in reply.
“Who told you to use the kids’ training toys like this?”
“Even so! I live month to month with my salary as a basic livelihood recipient!”
“You have two decent buildings in Gangnam and call yourself a basic livelihood recipient?”
“W-well, after paying off debts, there’s nothing left in hand…”
“And if you hadn’t blown 90% of your salary buying elixirs every time, wouldn’t that have been enough? Just know that.”
“Hey! I wasn’t the only one who broke this stuff!”
“So now you want to deduct your junior’s salary too? No mercy as a senior, huh.”
Executive Ho felt a surge of frustration but had no counterargument, so he pounded his chest with his fist.
Geum Ji-sang knew exactly how to handle Executive Ho. Being a man who lived by ‘style,’ a slight poke to his pride was enough to make him yield. Executive Ho knew this, yet he still got caught.
“Who pushed you to use the Bankruptcy Technique? Consider it karma for what you did.”
“Do you think it would have been different if you were in my place! Ugh… how am I going to survive this month?”
For a moment, Geum Ji-sang’s eyes glimmered with interest.
“So you didn’t just show the Bankruptcy Technique… you really pulled it out to spar with Team Leader Jang?”
“Yes! That’s what I’m saying!”
“So you expect me to believe that?”
The Bankruptcy Technique, true to its name, was literally a “mountain-destroying skill.”
Originally created to take down the Mountain God, it was a culmination of the top executives’ personal training secrets—their lifelong martial theories and practices—essentially their life’s work condensed into a single technique.
Although Director Jeong Gyu-han had chosen a mundane life and could not fully open the technique, the other executives were entirely different.
Among them, Yeop Ho-gak represented Executive Ho’s lifetime achievement in the Bankruptcy Technique.
Geum Ji-sang understood that Executive Ho had shown Yeop Ho-gak to help Lee Hyun properly grasp the Ho Technique.
However…
“You don’t believe it? It’s true.”
“…A child who just regained the power of their prime faced Yeop Ho-gak head-on?”
“With that kind of talent and skill, it makes sense he could clear a four-star dungeon.”
“….”
“Although he conserved some mana, he definitely received Yeop Ho-gak using the Ho Technique.”
“…!”
“So… was that a Papa-san Technique? Or something like that?”
A slight smile appeared on Executive Ho’s face. Meanwhile, Geum Ji-sang’s expression remained stiff.
“…What do you mean by that? Explain it clearly.”
“Just as I said. He only showed Yeop Ho-gak twice.”
Executive Ho recalled the moment slowly. It was still exhilarating even now.
The first Yeop Ho-gak was barely blocked by Lee Hyun, which was astonishing. But the second was different. To counter it, Lee Hyun had fully opened the Ho Technique.
“He used the Mountain God’s own technique against the skill meant to capture the Mountain God. Isn’t that fascinating?”
“…!!”
“This forced him to reinterpret the Ho Technique in his own way. And by placing the skill he had learned at its core, the foundation remained unshakable.”
“….”
Even Executive Ho found Lee Hyun’s Ho Technique impressive.
“The core placed in the central framework… definitely Ho Technique, or rather, comparable to the Mountain God’s techniques. Where did he even learn something like that?”
Those like Executive Ho or Geum Ji-sang knew: once you reach the rank of high-tier or top-ranker, you can’t rely solely on the system. You need your own standard, continuously train yourself, and set your craft straight. Only then can you reach beyond.
In this sense, Lee Hyun was already preparing to go ‘beyond.’
The unidentified central skill used to dismantle the Ho Technique was exactly that.
“In Chakho-do, tigers and magpies can be interpreted in various ways. The tiger could be seen as fierce, the magpie as mocking, or they could clash with each other.”
“….”
“But Team Leader Jang… he sees them as harmonizing together. A very interesting interpretation.”
Executive Ho twisted his lips as he continued.
“Meeting someone like him, how could I not be excited? I unconsciously used 30% of my strength, yet he still walked away on his own.”
Thirty percent. Impressive, considering Executive Ho’s current position.
“…The Guild Leader really brought a monster.”
“Not a ‘monster-like’—a real monster.”
Geum Ji-sang nodded gravely. Perhaps soon, a top-tier team comparable to A, X, or Y could be formed. In fact, it might already exist—one capable of matching Executive Ho, and with two rankers on the team.
‘And I heard he plans to bring the old Blue Thunder teammates… Essentially, a unique team is being created.’
The external pressure that had been rising recently would only grow stronger. Even they wouldn’t have anticipated this level.
“If that’s the case, the compensation here should be reconsidered…”
“We’ll discuss it further with the Guild Leader. Finish tidying up here and head back.”
“Huh? Director Geum? Where are you going? Geum Ji-sang? Hey! Geum Ji-sang!!”
Executive Ho shouted frantically, but Geum Ji-sang had already hurriedly left the training hall.
Lee Hyun was busily moving around.
Ko Jin-woo had thrown all his tasks onto him.
“Boss! Add another plate of meat!”
“…Boss? What do you mean, boss?”
“We’re out of alcohol here too.”
“I’ll bring it right away. Just a moment.”
Lee Hyun had voluntarily taken on all these tasks. Seeing so many familiar faces after a long time, he wanted to ease the awkwardness. It made conversation easier.
But…
They were taking full advantage of him, as if they had been waiting for this day.
“Wow! A day has come when we can boss Jang Lee-hyun around with a single word!”
“See? Even this day comes in life, huh?”
“Thinking of how I was treated by Senior Jang before… snif, sob.”
“…Hey, it was always urgent situations, and without training, it would’ve been dangerous in real combat.”
“Boss, the makgeolli is gone here.”
Every time he tried to reply, someone shook an empty bottle, leaving him speechless.
Meanwhile, Kim Min-jung was seated with other colleagues.
“What? You were late because you were sparring with a fighting dog!?”
“Wow, Senior Jang has guts. Even with a prior appointment, sparring with a fighting dog… what if something broke?”
“So what happened in the end?”
“No, but Senior Jang, you were in the same company? Did you scout him? How did you get in touch?”
Since many friends had missed the Ulleungdo operation, Kim Min-jung had to explain the story for quite some time: Lee Hyun joining White Burn, meeting Team Z, and becoming its leader—a saga in itself.
When she reached the part where Lee Hyun had regained ranker status through effort, everyone went quiet for a moment.
Watching Lee Hyun busy grilling and serving meat, his colleagues’ gaze subtly changed. Then…
“Just like Senior Jang.”
Someone’s casual remark caused a deep ripple in their hearts.
“Phew.”
Lee Hyun finally caught his breath.
Ko Jin-woo chuckled as he sat beside him.
“Exhausted, huh?”
“Hyung, how did you do all this alone…?”
“Do you know how possessed those guys were? Beasts. Here, you earned a drink for your effort.”
Ko Jin-woo handed him a glass of beer mixed with soju. Lee Hyun drank it in one gulp.
“Kruuh!”
“Insane, right?”
“No doubt about it.”
The alcohol hit him like ice water, painfully awakening his mind. Eating a few pieces of meat, Lee Hyun watched his old colleagues, who were as loud as ever.
Grilling and serving meat, he chatted extensively with them. There was no awkwardness. Everyone had opened up since the Ulleungdo operation.
Some friends asked about his life first, while others, angry at the lack of contact, forced him to drink plenty of soju mixed in beer. Friends who had participated in the Ulleungdo operation shared stories they had missed before.
Ultimately, everyone greeted him the same way:
-
How have you been?
And Lee Hyun replied:
I’ve been well, thanks to you all.
The response was always the same:
-
You’ve worked hard.
Such a short phrase carried a profound resonance.
“Hyung.”
“Yeah?”
“I’m glad we’re having this gathering.”
Pfft.
Ko Jin-woo chuckled while chewing dried squid legs.
“What are you even saying? You just realized that now? If you’re going to say nonsense, go sing somewhere.”
He turned around shouting:
“Everyone! Lee Jang-hyun is going to sing a song! Applaud!”
Clap clap clap!
“…!?”
“Ooh!”
“Do you take song requests?”
Accidentally handed a spoon as a microphone, Lee Hyun glared at Ko Jin-woo, who just smirked, chewing his squid.
Eventually, Lee Hyun sang, drunk. Lacking talent, everyone burst into laughter. Embarrassed, Lee Hyun scratched the back of his head but smiled seeing everyone laugh.
Just as the atmosphere was heating up,
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Ko Jin-woo banged a tin can with a spoon, drawing attention. His nose was red from the alcohol.
“Everyone, listen! Now that we’ve shared drinks, eaten well, and had some buzz, it’s time to talk seriously.”
Some people’s gazes sharpened.
“We didn’t just gather to play, right?”
Ko Jin-woo smiled at Lee Hyun, whose face had reddened amidst everyone.
Having gone around with each person pouring drinks, Lee Hyun was well past his limit. Even trying to sober up, his colleagues wouldn’t let him, making him dizzy.
Yet, when his eyes met Ko Jin-woo’s, all the intoxication vanished. This moment was the most important. For his dream, and theirs, and for what had happened four years ago.
“You need to say something, leader?”
All eyes now focused on Lee Hyun.
Kim Min-jung nodded from afar, confident he would do well. Lee Gun-san watched approvingly.
Lee Hyun slowly rose. All eyes followed him.
What should he say first? Many prepared words flashed in his mind, yet none felt right.
Instead, another thought came: words he had wanted to say when meeting his colleagues.
“When I disappeared silently four years ago, I thought everything on the battlefield—the suffering—would end if I vanished. But… now I realize I was wrong.”
A deep silence fell.
Lee Hyun met each of his old colleagues’ eyes.
“I’m sorry for calling you back like this. But I have no one else. There’s still so much left for us on this battlefield.”
His eyes burned like fire.
“Can I… fight alongside you all again?”
