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chapter 188
Chiiik! Chiiik!
Once again, the barbecue party in the yard of Lee Gunsan’s mansion started with a distinct aroma.
“The smell… is killer, General.”
Lee Hyun couldn’t tear himself away from the grill, like a resident spirit.
“Haha! I asked the store, and apparently the hind legs of the pigs came in really well today. So I bought them right away. They’re premium Iberico pigs, fed only on acorns at specific times.”
“Iberico hind leg… that sounds amazing.”
Drool threatened to fall from Lee Hyun’s mouth.
Go Jin-woo, who was busy setting the table, looked at him in disbelief.
“Do you even know what Iberico means?”
“It’s delicious.”
Lee Hyun answered without even looking at him.
“No, I mean, do you know the actual definition?”
“Delicious.”
“Wait, are you just saying that because you don’t know? Listen, when it comes to good food, you should at least know its origin to fully appreciate the flavor—”
“Yup. Delicious.”
“…Ah, I should just stop talking.”
Go Jin-woo thought he finally had something to tease Lee Hyun about, but when it didn’t work at all, he decided to drop it.
But that was how sincere Lee Hyun was about meat.
“Heh heh heh. Our master must be careful not to drop his head onto the grill.”
“Well, in Guam, no matter how fancy the food was, you always had to stay tense, so it wasn’t easy to eat comfortably. You’ve worked hard.”
Sajojeong laughed beside him, and Bungmawang gently patted Lee Hyun’s head with his wing, as if showing affection.
“Nothing makes you miss home more than being abroad.”
“Exactly. Pork belly, Korean beef, garlic leaves, soybean paste stew, kimchi stew… I missed them all so much it hurt.”
“Just tell me what you want to eat. I’ll whip something up.”
“Um, could I ask Madam to make the soybean paste stew? The one we had back then was just too good.”
“What? Haha. She’ll be delighted. Alright, we’ll ask her.”
“Yes, thank you.”
Lee Hyun already imagined the smell of the stew wafting toward him and started humming.
“What? You’ve been abroad?”
At that moment, Go Jin-woo approached with wide eyes.
“What are you talking about? You were with me during the Hongdae incident.”
“No, I thought you gave up and didn’t go afterward. But when did you go? I definitely met you yesterday, didn’t I?”
A confused expression.
“Oh, that? My clone.”
“What?”
“Clone.”
But Go Jin-woo looked even more baffled.
“This looks well-cooked. Could you bring the plates?”
“Roger that!”
“What kind of answer is that… Hey! You should answer properly!”
Go Jin-woo shouted after Lee Hyun, who ignored him and ran toward the table.
“Oh, the flavor is really unique. No gaminess, and the savory taste is stronger.”
“The word ‘Iberico’ comes from Spain. Long ago, pigs were mainly fed acorns there. Nowadays, they manage it systematically to enhance the flavor.”
“Ah, so that’s why it tastes like this. Some people insult others for not knowing the origin…”
“Hmm? I said—”
“It’s delicious, General. And this soybean paste is phenomenal too.”
“Haha. When you meet my wife, make sure to say that again. She loves compliments.”
“Hey! I’m not done yet!”
Go Jin-woo was frustrated at being ignored again, but…
‘Eat well. You’ve worked hard. You need strength.’
Even if the other teammates followed Lee Hyun because he was the leader or team head, in Go Jin-woo’s eyes, he was still just the reckless little brother who went crazy over meat.
‘But how did he even make a clone? Is he some kind of Son Goku?’
The truth behind the clone technique remained a mystery.
“Tell me about what happened in Guam. I’m dying to know.”
“Aren’t you getting reports from Ramon?”
“Can rigid reports capture the scene? Besides, I heard he’s managing some business now. He only comes in when necessary.”
Apparently, this referred to Homeros Holdings.
It was originally a paper company to manage Guam’s branches, but behind the scenes, Lee Hyun was preparing his own special business.
Of course, it was still only in preparation, not yet ready for action.
Still… hearing that Ramon was wholeheartedly tackling the task he was asked to do felt good.
Even knowing someone’s personality, hearing it from a third party feels different.
“How did you win that kid over in such a short time? I spent years trying to earn his favor before.”
Lee Gunsan’s expression was irritated, but he was smiling, as if proud of his disciple’s growth.
“I wanted to ask, how did you meet him? He said one day a letter just appeared by his bedside.”
Ramon was still curious about Lee Gunsan’s identity, and Lee Hyun didn’t answer, knowing there was a reason.
“Haha. I just read the flow of global events, and somehow, that’s how fate brought us together.”
“But you pinpointed Ramon’s hiding place from the cult so accurately.”
Go Jin-woo couldn’t follow their conversation but knew Lee Gunsan’s network was vast.
‘Just his network alone could dominate the world from the shadows.’
Even if he had operated in the shadows in his youth, no minor general of a small country could have built something like that.
“Actually…”
Lee Hyun and Go Jin-woo instinctively looked at him.
Lowering his voice slightly gave a secretive air.
“I can see the future.”
“…Excuse me?”
“General, sir…?”
Lee Gunsan grinned slyly.
“I pick only the talents who will become great in the future and secure them early.”
“…”
“Impressive, isn’t it? The secret of this old man?”
“…Yes. Very impressive. Your drink is empty. Shall I refill it?”
Go Jin-woo sighed and poured soju into Lee Gunsan’s glass.
Lee Gunsan smiled widely.
“You don’t believe me?”
“General, I know your legacy. Do you expect me to believe that? If you could see the future, you wouldn’t have been removed as a general. Or maybe you’d have won the lottery. What about the Super Bowl numbers?”
“You only hit where it hurts, huh?”
“The old saying goes, alcohol cures pain. Drink up.”
“Too much alcohol damages the liver.”
“Ever heard of egg wine for colds?”
“The doctor is forcing folk remedies. I should report you.”
“Yes, yes, go ahead.”
Lee Gunsan and Go Jin-woo enjoyed the exchange of drinks.
But Lee Hyun felt a strange sense of déjà vu.
“Anyway, tell me about Guam. Nothing beats hero stories at a drinking party, right?”
“Yes, sir.”
Shaking off the strange feeling, Lee Hyun began recounting his experiences: hacking the City Cartel rabbit hole to get to Guam, meeting Ramon and forming the assault team, and entering the deep-sea dungeon.
Lee Gunsan listened intently, while Go Jin-woo looked horrified at the story.
“…That’s what happened. This is the Astrafe we recovered this time.”
Lee Hyun left out all stories related to the Seven Stars and displayed the Astrafe staff from Kibysis.
A massive staff, wrapped in oak along its shaft, with a Snow White crystal shining at the tip.
Crackle!
Electricity even jumped.
“…It’s impressive. No wonder the masked ones would go crazy. You really went to Guam? And what about the clone?”
Go Jin-woo chuckled nervously.
Lee Gunsan narrowed his eyes.
“But the situation has gotten too big. The City Cartel had to be removed, but antagonizing Zeus’s sons too far? And even Mossad?”
Lee Hyun stored the staff back in Kibysis as he listened to Lee Gunsan’s advice.
“Zeus’s sons are relentless. Everyone in the shadows knows that. Mossad? Their intelligence is second only to the U.S. in the Middle East. What will you do?”
Concerned, fearing Lee Hyun might get hurt.
But Lee Hyun calmly responded:
“I know what you worry about. If your tail is long, it will inevitably be stepped on.”
“Yet…”
“So why not just extend the tail so it can’t be traced?”
“Extend… the tail?”
Lee Gunsan blinked.
Go Jin-woo sighed and rubbed his head.
“Don’t you get it after everything? He’s just saying he’ll wreak havoc in a roundabout way. Just say it straight, kid.”
“…!?”
Lee Gunsan’s eyes widened in surprise, and Lee Hyun grinned and nodded.
“Yes. Since it’s already started, I plan to further develop my identity as Guirei. Completely without Jet noticing.”
“Develop… the identity?”
“I’m thinking of growing the company Ramon mentioned earlier.”
Lee Gunsan finally understood why Ramon was so busy and laughed quietly.
“What kind of company?”
“An intelligence agency.”
“Intelligence… agency?”
Lee Gunsan’s expression shifted subtly.
“Yes. From my experience, having support behind the scenes is crucial. There’s still so much information I don’t know. Even the Hercules gang is proof of that.”
“….”
“The same with Chairman Peng. Even if we locate him, immediate action is hard. But if we have a hidden hand…”
“We can act. Observe in real time and devise new strategies.”
Lee Gunsan stroked his chin, continuing:
“But do you really need something so grand? You’re already part of a huge organization, White Burn. Z-team follows you.”
“Yes. If I request, Guild Master or Team Leader will help actively. But their focus is on the light side, right?”
“Shadow work is different?”
“Yes. White Burn won’t slack on intelligence, but the ecosystem is entirely different.”
“So you need usable blades in the shadows.”
“More unseen cards are better. And Guirei is fully specialized for that.”
“If this intelligence agency later gains force, it could even shake global power?”
“Maybe not the world stage, but it will help greatly.”
Go Jin-woo had been half in a daze since the company discussion.
But one thing was clear:
‘These two are looking far beyond the present.’
Feeling ashamed of his own inability to handle immediate tasks.
But also,
‘I need to try harder, for the sake of not being a useless secretary or an inadequate older brother.’
The boy who was annoying moments ago now seemed incredibly cool.
Is this what it means to be a leader?
‘Such a far cry from when you were a snotty little brother, Suchan. You should’ve seen this.’
Bitter feelings lingered.
“This can also be used for cross-verification. Your network is people-based, but—”
“Your business relies on finance and trade data?”
“Yes. Combining the two allows faster, more efficient response from intel to analysis to action.”
“A complementary tool…”
Lee Gunsan looked satisfied.
“Even overseas, with official legal status, it can act as a shield against external shocks.”
“Using Guam as a base will help monitor the shadows more efficiently. Good.”
Lee Gunsan smiled wryly.
“I had similar thoughts but was constrained by the military and exposure. You’re solving it. Haha.”
“I can also support small funding for investigation and operations.”
“I won’t refuse. I’ve always felt bad asking you to work with no resources.”
Lee Gunsan seemed already planning the organization’s future direction.
“Why beat around the bush? You’re saying you’ll run the main identity here, and the sub-identity too, right?”
Go Jin-woo said flatly.
“Main identity? Sub-identity? What’s that?”
“Game terminology.”
“…?”
Ignoring Lee Gunsan’s confusion, Lee Hyun smiled.
“Call it multi-expansion.”
“Either way, busy. Work hard.”
“Yes. So I’ll rely on you from now on, brother.”
“Huh? Why on me?”
“You’ll manage the company.”
Go Jin-woo furrowed his brows.
“Workload is already insane! And why should I manage your company?!”
“When did I say I’d manage it all? I’m busy.”
“What—”
“You’ll get a salary instead.”
“…How much?”
“About this much?”
Lee Hyun held up all five fingers.
Go Jin-woo barely restrained a twitch of his lips.
A person should resist a little—it makes them realize their elder’s value.
“500? That’s okay, but as a pay doctor, I could earn more—”
“What do you mean? 5,000.”
“…!?”
“Of course, losses come out of your share, gains get a bonus. Deal?”
“I pledge my loyalty to CEO Lee Hyun! Loyalty! Loyalty!!”
Go Jin-woo sprang up and bowed deeply.
Ahem.
Lee Hyun puffed up.
“Call me Chairman from now on.”
“I’ll pledge even more loyalty, Chairman!! General, sorry. My only benefactor from now on is Chairman Lee Hyun! Salute!!”
Go Jin-woo’s head seemed ready to pierce the floor.
Lee Gunsan chuckled at the comedic duo, then suddenly asked:
“You said you got the Chalice of Resurrection? What will you use it for?”
“Oh, that?”
Lee Hyun answered casually.
“I’ll use it to revive Brother Suchan.”
“…What?”
“…!?”
Lee Gunsan’s eyes widened. Go Jin-woo lifted his head again.
But Lee Hyun’s eyes blazed with determination.
