, or the demon cult worshipers who trusted him as their leader and followed his commands…
They all couldn ’t hide the trace of nervousness in their eyes.

’And I ’m responsible for it… ’

Lee Hyeon-Ju witnessed the aftermath of Kang Jin-Ho slaughtering twenty-plus people.
No matter how much she tried to look nonplussed, it would be impossible to remain composed in front of him.
Kang Jin-Ho could understand that.

However, the fact that he felt displeased by her response was enough proof that he was still an egocentric man.

“E-excuse me…” Lee Hyeon-Ju finally broke the silence in a nervous voice as she stared at Kang Jin-Ho.
“Can we talk in private?”

“I didn ’t know that we had more things to discuss?”

”…Yes, we still do.
I have an important request. ”

”A request, is it… ” Kang Jin-Ho scowled, feeling somewhat unhappy about this revelation.

Why should he humor another one of this woman ’s requests? However, if he were to turn her away now, he would be going against his father ’s advice.

All relationships had to be crystal clear.
A relationship where one side held onto some impossible hope was bound to become poison in the long run.

“Very well.
I ’ll hear you out.” Kang Jin-Ho nodded, then pointed at the cafe.

***

After entering the cafe ’s staff room, Kang Jin-Ho handed over a cup of coffee he had gotten from his father to Lee Hyeon-Ju.

”Oh, uh…
Thank you… ” Lee Hyeon-Ju bowed slightly.
She seemed to have calmed down a little.
Earlier, she looked like a little puppy that had been thrown in front of a hungry predator.
However, her expression became noticeably brighter after stepping into the cafe.

Was it because she thought Kang Jin-Ho wouldn ’t harm someone in full view of his father? Or was it because Kang Jin-Ho was willing to hear her out?

Whatever the case, Kang Jin-Ho welcomed Lee Hyeon-Ju finding some kind of composure.
It would have been tough to talk with someone constantly shivering away in fright like earlier, after all!


”So, what is your request this time? ” asked Kang Jin-Ho as he leaned back in his chair.

Lee Hyeon-Ju took a small sip of the coffee, then silently gazed at Kang Jin-Ho.
But then, tears suddenly started gushing out of her eyes.

“Huh…?” Kang Jin-Ho was taken aback.
Why was this woman bursting into tears all of a sudden?! She seemed to be wailing in pure sorrow from the look of it, yet she was making no sound at all, so…
It was a bizarre and pitiful sight at the same time.
“W-why are you crying, Miss Lee?!”

“Please, spare us…”

”Eh? ” Kang Jin-Ho blinked his eyes.
When did he say he was going to kill her? ”What are you talking about? ”

“Please help my grandfather, Mister Kang Jin-Ho…”

Kang Jin-Ho chuckled hollowly.
”What? Did someone kidnap him or something? ”

“No…
It ’s not that, but…”

“Then what?”

“You ’re planning to kill him, aren ’t you?”

Kang Jin-Ho frowned deeply.
“Listen here.”

Lee Hyeon-Ju shivered again after realizing that Kang Jin-Ho ’s tone became curt and abrasive.
She couldn ’t stop shaking as if to say that she was too aware of what his new tone signified.

”N-no, hold on, ” Kang Jin-Ho was taken aback again by her extreme change in attitude and tried to pacify her.
”Please calm down first, will you? ”

“I will try…”

A groan automatically escaped Kang Jin-Ho ’s lips while watching Lee Hyeon-Ju sob away.
Her initial cocky attitude that not only flabbergasted Kang Jin-Ho, but even pissed him off during their first encounter was long gone, never to be found again.

“Miss Lee, do I look like someone who just kills any random person?”

“N-no…”

“I don ’t kill without a good reason.
And even if there is a reason, I don ’t kill those uninvolved.
Do you understand?”

”But, what if they ’re involved? ” Lee Hyeon-Ju ’s eyes were faintly trembling as she stared at him.
She seemed to be doing her best to be as unwavering as possible, but…

Kang Jin-Ho narrowed her eyes.
”…And how am I involved in your grandfather’s business? ”

“Aren ’t you going to support Director Bang Jin-Hun?”

”Hmm… ” Kang Jin-Ho briefly pondered whether he should respond or not, but a verbal answer wasn ’t necessary because it seemed that she already knew.

”Director Bang Jin-Hun is aiming to usurp my grandfather ’s position.
With force, too.
The assassination attempt failed, so he ’ll now openly try to take my grandfather ’s life. ”

“Hmm…”

“If you help him, the end result will be plain for everyone to see.
My grandfather will leave this world, and Director Bang will become the new Assembly Master.”

Kang Jin-Ho nodded along since that was his intention.
As such, Bang Jin-Hun would become the next Assembly Master no matter what.

“Can you spare my grandfather?”

“…”


“Please?”

Kang Jin-Ho slowly leaned back and looked up at the ceiling.
Obviously, he could tell why she came to plead with him.
He could even sympathize with her in that regard.

Unfortunately…

“Looks like you ’re still looking down on me somewhat…” Kang Jin-Ho muttered as a cold grin appeared on his lips.

“N-no, not true, Mister Kang!”

”Did you really think I ’d humor your request if you just showed up here? Is this the extent of your plan? Did you really think that sobbing pitifully would soften me? Was that it? Like the last time? ” Kang Jin-Ho ’s grin transformed into a deep smirk.
”Looks like your bad habit of trying to manipulate people hasn ’t gone away at all. ”

Search tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w for the original.

He stretched his arm and lightly flicked Lee Hyeon-Ju on the forehead.

”Now, listen closely.
If you were serious about resolving this situation, you shouldn ’t have come to me but to your grandfather.
You should have begged him to give up on the Assembly Master ’s position as soon as possible and even retire altogether.
Wouldn ’t you agree that it’s the wiser move? ”

“…!”

“However, you didn ’t do that.
You came to speak to me instead.
Why? Is it because you know your grandfather wouldn ’t listen to you?”

“…Yes.”

“In that case…” Kang Jin-Ho slowly but forcefully pressed his face close to Lee Hyeon-Ju ’s face.
“Do I look like someone who ’d listen?”

Lee Hyeon-Ju was rendered utterly speechless.
She could tell that this discussion was going wrong, but she wasn ’t sure where to start fixing it.

“Listen well, Lee Hyeon-Ju.
Deliver my message in full to your grandfather.”

“…”

”Tell him to give up on the Assembly Master ’s position right now and disappear if he wants to live.
He has been sucking out all the benefits of that seat for far too long anyway.
So, if he wants to keep breathing, the wisest course of action is to disappear from my sight as soon as possible.
Do you understand what I ’m saying here? ”

Lee Hyeon-Ju hurriedly nodded.

”And you need to remember that, too. ” Kang Jin-Ho smiled gently at her.
He smiled so gently that it verged on creepy! ”I will forgive you this once for trying to manipulate me.
If you try to pull the same trick again next time, you will never get to open your mouth again.
Understand me? ”

Lee Hyeon-Ju nodded, and she nodded blankly, quickly, and urgently.

”You’re such a nice kid. ” Kang Jin-Ho chuckled.
His low cackle slowly filled the room.
”Go.
Go and deliver my message.
Tell your grandfather to disappear.
Tell him to disappear if he doesn ’t want to deal with me.
Otherwise… he better use whatever tricks he can think of to stop me.
Only then would he greet his demise without feeling not so aggrieved. ”

Hiccup!

Lee Hyeon-Ju ’s figure shivered like a lone leaf amidst the stormy winds.

“Now, leave.
Hurry up.”

Lee Hyeon-Ju rushed outside the staff room as if she were breaking out of prison.
Kang Jin-Ho watched her leave, then quietly massaged his face.
He knew that he shouldn ’t show his current expression to his father.

’So, it begins. ’

The declaration of war was finally made.
The time to hunt was near.

Kang Jin-Ho ’s mask, the one he had been working so hard to shape, was slowly, oh-so-slowly, falling down to reveal his true face.

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