🔊 TTS Settings
chapter 49
The limousine of Executive Jeong, carrying Marlon Wei Gangning, sped along Olympic Road.
“…You wish to visit the headquarters first to investigate Guirei?”
Executive Jeong looked at Marlon with an expression of confusion.
This man, far more famous by his alias than his real name, clearly enjoyed being called that.
“Yes.”
“Is Guirei possibly connected to the Party? Do we know what relation he has with the headquarters?”
Marlon stared at Executive Jeong with a momentary indifferent expression.
“I suppose, Mr. Jeong, that rather than worrying about external matters, you should also focus on internal management.”
“…I must say, that is quite offensive.”
“Were you unaware that the first place Guirei was sighted was in your dungeon?”
“…!?”
For a moment, Executive Jeong wondered if there had been some issue with his Chinese.
“…I had heard rough reports about it, but I assumed it was completely baseless.”
“So you truly didn’t know.”
“….”
He tried to feign composure, but Marlon’s sharp gaze pierced through.
“I’m disappointed, Mr. Jeong. I thought you were quick-witted, yet you have such a gap here. As far as I know, the successor of Sanshin had already acquired our entry information.”
“….”
“You can’t afford to lag behind such a rookie, can you? At this rate, we might have to reconsider our cooperation.”
Executive Jeong struggled to suppress the surge of anger rising within him.
In the past, he would have laughed it off easily, but perhaps because his child had died recently, controlling his emotions was difficult.
“Haha. Just joking, just joking.”
“…?”
Executive Jeong furrowed his brow, wondering if this man truly treated him like a toy.
However…
“I tried a cunning joke, thinking it would break the awkwardness of our reunion… It seems my tone didn’t come across that way. My apologies.”
Marlon signaled to the secretary sitting beside him.
The secretary quietly handed over a wooden box.
“I heard late about your misfortune. Naturally, you must have been distracted. If there had been no difference, I would have been disappointed in your character.”
“….”
“I should have visited the funeral, but couldn’t. This is a consolation gift the Chairman asked me to deliver to you.”
Executive Jeong still felt uneasy, but the moment he took the wooden box, the anger vanished.
Something felt different.
“Open it.”
As he opened it, a refreshing fragrance wafted out.
Inside were four pills: one large, three small.
“Your Excellency… This is!”
“The Great Rejuvenation Pills and the Summoning Pills.”
“…!”
“They were made personally at the Shaolin Temple’s Medicine Hall. I thought your energy might be low, so I brought them. There are only a few in the Committee, so use them sparingly.”
[Great Rejuvenation Pill]
A supreme elixir made by the millennium-old Shaolin Temple. Instantly rejuvenates the body.
-
Type: Elixir
-
Origin: Saying “All learning comes from Shaolin”
[Summoning Pill]
An elixir from the Shaolin Temple. Instantly increases magical power by 30%.
-
Type: Elixir
-
Origin: Saying “All learning comes from Shaolin”
“The Great Rejuvenation Pill is for you, and the Summoning Pills can be given to your favored subordinates.”
Thump! Thump!
Executive Jeong’s heart raced with excitement.
The value of the Summoning and Great Rejuvenation Pills was immense.
Especially the Great Rejuvenation Pill, rumored to restructure the body according to a skill tree and even recalibrate stats.
“Every hunter has those stat growths they wished were better. Even I have a few. This alone could have a tremendous effect…!”
For Executive Jeong, whose growth had recently stagnated, this elixir was essential.
“And if I then retrieve Benu’s heart… maybe I could aim for the top ranks.”
A faintly bitter smile touched his lips as he imagined Lee Hyun.
“The generosity of Your Excellency is boundless.”
“Haha, it’s not me; it’s the Chairman’s gift. And the ‘real’ gift is separate.”
The atmosphere warmed.
Executive Jeong’s already flushed face reddened further.
“You mean there’s something even bigger?”
“The box isn’t large considering it holds pills? Look underneath.”
Hastily moving the straw beneath the pills, a round crown-shaped frame appeared.
It exuded an extraordinary aura.
Executive Jeong carefully lifted it.
[Golden Headband of Confinement]
The shackles said to have been worn by the Jade Emperor and Shakyamuni to govern the heavens and earth.
Excellent for controlling energy, clearing the mind, and drawing out latent power through internal and external balance.
-
Type: Sacred Relic, Item
-
Origin: Myth ‘Journey to the West’
Most functions are currently sealed for unknown reasons. Restore its powers by meeting hidden conditions.
“The Golden Headband…? Could it be!”
Executive Jeong’s eyes lit up.
A sacred relic.
The symbolic object of Sun Wukong, never before discovered!
“Haha. That’s right. This is the very headband the monk Sanjiang placed on Sun Wukong.”
“…!!”
“Usually, the headband is seen as a restraint, but that’s for divine beings. For mortals like us, it’s a very useful sacred relic.”
Thump thump thump-
Executive Jeong’s heart raced faster than when receiving the elixirs.
“Wear it whenever necessary. Its effects are significant.”
His eyes were captivated by the radiant gold.
“I heard Journey to the West is still not fully explored in the Greater Country… Is it really okay to give me something this rare?”
“It shows the Chairman has very high expectations of you, Mr. Jeong.”
Marlon’s mouth twisted.
“The Chairman sees Korea as the key foothold for expanding globally. You are the core partner for this.”
Executive Jeong, moved, clasped his left hand over his right fist in a formal Chinese gesture.
“Thank you so much. I don’t know how to repay this kindness… I feel indebted to Your Excellency as always.”
“Haha. It’s the Chairman’s gift, isn’t it?”
“Your Excellency has always looked after us; that’s why the Chairman pays attention.”
“I appreciate even a little recognition of my feelings.”
Thwack!
Unable to hide his excitement, Executive Jeong closed the wooden box.
“I will take all of this on an auspicious day.”
“Good idea. Timing and luck are important.”
He handed the box to his secretary and changed the topic.
“It’s great that we understand each other so well. But if Your Excellency visits headquarters personally, it will surely attract attention. Are you certain?”
Marlon and Pingxin had entered the country disguised as tourists.
Being conspicuous was undesirable.
“NIS isn’t a concern. The DIC, now without General Lee Gunsan, is the same. They’re harmless now.”
Executive Jeong nodded.
Marlon smirked.
“But Sanshin is dangerous. She’s a monster who observes the entire world from her seat.”
“That’s why we prepared extensively.”
Executive Jeong didn’t ask what that meant; he knew no answer would come.
“Just drop us in the middle of Gangnam. We’ll handle the rest.”
A fleeting thought crossed Executive Jeong—were they safe to release into the world?
‘They’re not reckless; they’ll manage.’
Soon, the limousine entered Gangnam Boulevard.
“We’re almost there. Oh, and one more thing.”
“What is it? I’m listening.”
“The place Guirei was first sighted was, in fact, your son’s last dungeon. Our committee’s intelligence confirmed it.”
“…!?”
Executive Jeong’s eyes widened.
“Coincidences are rare. Even if they occur, something is usually hidden.”
“….”
“Perhaps you should take a look.”
“So that’s why you requested this?”
Executive Jeong handed over a thick envelope.
“We’ve arrived. It should be similar enough.”
Marlon took the envelope, left the limousine, and disappeared.
Executive Jeong remained alone in the spacious car.
A moment of silence passed.
Then,
“…I see.”
His eyes gleamed.
“Let’s return to the office.”
The limousine began moving again.
Marlon watched the limousine disappear along Gangnam Boulevard.
“Will Executive Jeong act as we want?”
“Not immediately. He’s as sly as a snake. He’ll probably suspect the Golden Headband is a trap.”
“And if he does…?”
“But he’s ambitious, so he’ll eventually move. Sons are sons, even if flawed. Stirring up White Burn will yield something.”
A faint, bitter smile formed on Marlon’s lips.
“We’ll move accordingly.”
He planned to first shake White Burn from within.
Executive Jeong and Im Won-young were perfect targets.
And if Guirei’s trail was found?
Excellent. They could snatch him immediately.
If Guirei wasn’t linked to White Burn?
No problem. Expanding influence within White Burn while supporting Executive Jeong would suffice.
The Central Heroes Committee would lose nothing.
‘After all, Chairman Peng’s goal is to expand influence in Korea and rediscover the lost Journey to the West, right?’
Giving the precious Golden Headband was bait to catch the hidden Sao Zheng.
Chairman Peng suspected a connection between Sao Zheng’s disappearance and Guirei’s appearance.
‘I wonder who’s hiding in the shadows. I hope it’s a force strong enough to challenge the Committee. Otherwise, it would be anticlimactic.’
Marlon was confident of the ultimate victory of the great Chinese people.
“What about Division 2?”
“At 7:11 AM yesterday, they secretly landed in Ulleungdo. A report came an hour ago that the plan had begun.”
“Ensure they remain undetected. The key to this operation is to focus Sanshin and Korea’s attention on us, masking the Ulleungdo plan.”
“Understood. I will double-check.”
Marlon opened the envelope given by Executive Jeong.
Inside was a file titled “Z Team Personnel.”
It contained personal information of 15 members, including the deceased Team Leader Jeong. Executive Jeong had taken it directly from the company’s HR.
Marlon distributed the files to his agents.
“These are all people whose paths overlapped with Guirei’s first sighting dungeon. Track them from now on. Report immediately if anything suspicious occurs.”
Everyone nodded. The secretary asked:
“Which one will you take?”
“I…”
Marlon tapped the last file with his finger.
“This one. I want to see if it’s who I think it is.”
Inside was a photo of Lee Hyun.
“What are you doing?”
“…Huh?”
“I asked what you’re doing.”
Junior Supervisor Eom Giseon, worried Kim Min-jung would get hurt, held her tightly.
He expected pain from the sword shard embedded in her back, but she was fine.
In fact, she looked at him as if he were pathetic.
On closer inspection, white smoke was rising from the gun in Kim Min-jung’s hand—she must have just shot it down.
Eom Giseon sighed in relief.
Then,
“Hey, did you hear?”
“Yeah. I thought they cut their tongue off.”
“You brat! That was dangerous!”
“You brat! I’ll save you!”
“You brat!”
“You brat!!”
“….”
They were surrounded by mocking laughter.
Sparring colleagues were teasing them.
“Now, can you let go?”
“S-sorry!”
Kim Min-jung’s cold voice added to the pressure.
Eom Giseon hurriedly stepped back.
“You brat! Sorry!”
“You brat! Soorryyy!!”
“Shut up, you idiots! Can’t you be quiet!”
“You brat! Don’t swear!”
“You brat! Can’t be quiet!”
Even his belated anger had no effect.
“These brats, really…!”
Eom Giseon’s face turned bright red, hand trembling on the broken sword.
“Supervisor Eom.”
Lee Hyun approached him.
He calmed down.
The intense fight they had just experienced flashed through his mind.
An overwhelming defeat with no room for compromise.
But he didn’t want the fight to end so easily.
“It’s not over yet. The sword is old, so we’ll postpone the match until we get a new one…”
“Spar whenever you want. But officially join the team.”
Eom Giseon crossed his arms, frowning.
“I’m already a Z Team member.”
“Not just in name. You need to participate properly. You can fight as much as you want.”
“….”
“Fights against strong opponents, life-threatening frontlines. Didn’t you come back from the U.S. to experience these fully?”
“…!”
“You’ll get your fill. So join.”
Lee Hyun understood what Eom Giseon truly wanted through their sparring.
Sometimes a single strike says more than ten words.
Eom Giseon was addicted.
To fighting and surviving…
Perhaps that’s why Kim Min-jung left him.
‘I need to speed up forming my team and regain strength quickly.’
A message just arrived from General Lee Gunsan:
-
Bomb. Roll out.
“Bomb” was their code for Chairman Peng.
‘Chairman Peng and the Committee have started moving. Entering Korea imitates Qinglei, likely Pingxin.’
During the probation period, Lee Hyun had many discussions with Lee Gunsan.
How to move forward. How to use Guirei’s identity.
Even after four years, they shared the same goal.
‘Pretend nothing’s happening while slowly eliminating them. When the opportunity comes…’
The main culprit who destroyed Qinglei.
The one who ruined Lee Hyun.
‘Capture Seo Chang-woo and Chairman Peng too.’
They had to move quickly.
Very quickly…
