Chapter 1218. Transforming (3)

Chapter 1218. Transforming (3)

The Martial Assembly executives remained on the Japanese ship.

Bang Jin-Hun frowned deeply while scanning the Japanese warriors warily keeping their distance.

“You know, I still don’t get why we gotta go through this cumbersome process. Isn’t it fine to just sweep all of them aside like trash?”

“Yes, it certainly is cumbersome.”

Vator nodded, his arms crossed, as if he fully agreed with Bang Jin-Hun. But what he said next indicated that he had other ideas.

“However, don’t forget that this is my master’s wish. Whining about this and that when my master is trying to do something is not what we should be doing.”

“Please don’t make it sound like I’m not loyal enough to our Assembly Master. I won’t hesitate to jump into the ocean if he orders me to do so. Even then...”

Bang Jin-Hun’s somewhat angry glare stabbed into the Japanese.

“We gotta let these arrogant pricks, who dared to invade someone else’s country, go back home unharmed? I mean... Doesn’t that piss you off, too?”

“Don’t be an idiot,” Vator tutted loudly. “You shouldn’t prolong a war because your emotions got the better of you, or you just want to fight. Since the war has started, your goal should be to extract maximum benefits for yourself. Exactly like what my master is doing.”

Bang Jin-Hun grunted. “Yes, I get all that, but!”

That was when Wiggins butted in. “Actually, I agree with Mister Bang’s opinion. To a degree.”

Vator’s brows quivered. “You agree with him?”

“Yes. If the French invaded England and created havoc by murdering a whole bunch of people, I don’t think I’d have spared them even if they surrendered.”

“

Huh. Huhuhuh...

”

Vator couldn’t help but chuckle.

Wiggins had become a little more outgoing and radicalized after joining the Assembly. Even though the initial impression he gave off was an outwardly upstanding gentleman concealing the darkest of dark hearts, but now, maybe...

‘No, that’s wrong. He still has a dark heart, no?’

So, the correct description would be that even his outside had gotten insidious, as well!

“However, I also agree that we need to negotiate with these people. If we just carry on with this war and slaughter these people, all we’ll get is a short-lived satisfaction but no tangible spoils of war, like you said, Sir Vator. Besides...”

Wiggins smirked deeply.

“Letting these people go back alive won’t necessarily be a good thing for them, either.”

“Well, yes, I get all that, but...” Bang Jin-Hun groaned, his expression conveying his reluctance to accept this situation.

He obviously knew this was nothing more than him being unreasonable and whiny. But that was what his heart demanded from him, so what could he do about it?

“Fu*king Jap bastards...”

Bang Jin-Hun subtly gritted his teeth. If it was up to him, he would’ve drilled a hole in this ship’s hull by now.

Wiggins chuckled. “I’m sure my lord knows what he’s doing.”

“Even so...”

That was when Chang Min suddenly spoke up. “You impudent bastards...!”

The three men—Vator, Wiggins, and Bang Jin-Hun—sneakily looked behind him. Sure enough, Chang Min was glaring sharply at them, his expression stiff from anger.

“You dare debate my liege’s wisdom with such impudence?! It seems I must rip your stinking pieholes apart for you to wise up!”

“...”

“...”

“...”

The three men exchanged glances with each other, then groaned deeply.

***

Akinori’s current expression could only be described as bizarre.

In some ways, he looked stupefied. But in some other ways, he seemed furious. One thing was for sure, however. He was completely shaken to the core.

The proof of his state was the way his eyes darted around, searching for something to stare at, plus his nervously fidgeting fingers.

“...Assembly Master, sir.”

Even then, Akinori didn’t forget his duty as the second-in-command of Shinichi-kai.

Being agitated was one thing, but eking out a reasonable agreement was something else.

“Sir, I know we don’t have a choice but to surrender. However... Accepting those demands is impossible for us.”

Kang Jin-Ho’s brows quivered. His old self would’ve severed Akinori’s head off immediately at this rejection and dumped the body on the ocean.

But his current self had fostered enough patience to sit back and listen to Akinori’s reason first.

“Why?”

“Sir... It’s because your proposal will be impossible to maintain.”

Kang Jin-Ho cocked an eyebrow and glanced at Lee Hyeon-Su.

Lee Hyeon-Su, who had been massaging and rubbing his legs while making a somewhat pained face, asked in Japanese. “Do you mind elaborating yourself a bit more?”

“It’s simple. Even if I act as the representative and negotiate a ceasefire deal now, the moment our ship returns to Japan, I’ll be executed, and the agreement will become void in an instant.”

“...”

Akinori nervously swallowed his saliva.

“Shinichi-kai fell by your hands. That also means I have lost the power to influence others. Without Shinichi-kai’s support, I won’t be able to rule the others and prepare the tributes you demand from us. It’ll simply be impossible.”

“Yes, I’m sure that’s the case,” said Lee Hyeon-Su while nodding.

Akinori sighed. “That’s why, realistically speaking...”

“However, do you honestly believe we haven’t thought of that?”

“...I’m sorry?”

“Think about it some more, Commissioner. This offer will be very good for you, too.”

“...Are you trying to mock me, sir?”

“I would never,” Lee Hyeon-Su grinned genially. “It seems you still haven’t understood it yet, since everything is happening at a breakneck pace. I don’t understand why you’re being so negative. Yes, Shinichi-kai might have lost its power, but when you flip that around? Doesn’t it mean you don’t have anyone above you now?”

Akinori’s eyes subtly quaked just then.

Now that he thought about it, that was true, wasn’t it?

The Iemoto was dead. And his close confidantes must be dead by now, too. Also, the top executives participating in the first wave were all dead. In other words...

Akinori was most likely the only upper-level executive left in Shinichi-kai!

“And the losses Yamashiro-gumi suffered are catastrophic enough to say that organization will never recover.”

“

Mm

...!”

Lee Hyeon-Su’s grin deepened. “In short, Japan is currently an ownerless mountain. It’s a land anyone with strength can rule. And do so easily.”

Akinori slowly nodded. Lee Hyeon-Su was correct. Except for one minor detail.

“Unfortunately, I don’t have that kind of power. I no longer possess it, sir. And without it, it’s impossible to rule over the rest.”

“No, not true. You do have the power, Commissioner.”

“...Sorry?”

“Your power is right here. The power more cruel and absurdly stronger than anything in this world. The power destructive enough to crush and trample on all the other gumis in Japan.”

A truly despicable smirk etched on Lee Hyeon-Su’s face.

“The Assembly will help you. We will back you. With our help, you will reach the height of power that not even the Iemoto has managed to reach with Shinichi-kai. And that is the spot of the undisputed top gumi in Japan.”

“...”

“Of course, we’ll demand absolute, unquestioning loyalty from your side, but... So what? Wouldn’t you say that this price is cheap to pay for the position of Japan’s Number One?”

The quaking in Akinori’s eyes intensified.

Lee Hyeon-Su didn’t miss that. He slowly walked over and whispered insidiously into Akinori’s ear.

“Now, then. Think carefully about this, Commissioner.”

“...!”

“Even if you say no to this, nothing will change. You will become just another victim among countless people who died today. And someone else will take over your role instead. You’ll only be doing that person a favor. All those who cared only about their pride don’t even have an intact corpse left. Tell me, does anybody even remember them now?”

It was as if a devil was whispering to Akinori. More correctly, seducing him.

As it was the case with a devil’s whisper, it sounded terrifyingly enticing.

“Backing down from here is not being courageous, Commissioner. No, you’re simply trying to avoid responsibility. Yes, someone must shoulder this load. Are you the type to throw away your responsibility and run away?”

“I... I...”

“Now, then...” Lee Hyeon-Su smiled deeply. “Please choose. Will you become yet another idiot who resisted and add to the number of two thousand-plus dead Japanese warriors? Or will you become Japan’s ruler and dream of a new future?”

Akinori bit his lip. And Lee Hyeon-Su smirked inwardly at this sight.

A gift of gab? A persuasive argument? What Lee Hyeon-Su did was none of those.

Akinori had already made up his mind since a while ago. It was probably around the moment when the Assembly’s directors boarded his ship... and he chose not to attack them.

When nicely put, he wanted to cooperate. Realistically speaking, he was surrendering. And he could rightly be criticized as a dog who submitted.

To survive, and to keep his position, Akinori had chosen the best option available. And to confirm that he hadn’t made a wrong choice, he had requested for this private chat with Kang Jin-Ho.

All Lee Hyeon-Su did just now was nudge Akinori forward a bit in the right direction.

Akinori took a step forward, then went down on one knee before bowing his head at Kang Jin-Ho.

“I shall swear my loyalty to the Martial Assembly, and... And to you, sir.”

Kang Jin-Ho, sitting on a chair and leisurely smoking away, flicked the cigarette stub away and got up. He then slowly walked toward the kneeling Akinori.

“

Ah

...”

Akinori raised his head when he thought he heard something inaudible. No, he tried to raise his head, but that was when incredible strength crushed down on his skull.

BOOM!

His forehead slammed into the floor as this unimaginable pressure tried to crush his skull. It felt as if his head was about to crack apart.

“

Kkeuh-euh

...!”

As Akinori gasped in pain, unable to even resist, Kang Jin-Ho’s cold, withdrawn voice dug into his ears.

“You still hold your head too high.”

Kang Jin-Ho’s voice sounded similar to a beast’s growling. And Lee Hyeon-Su calmly translated everything his boss said.

Only then did Akinori realize what kind of situation he was in.

“You still don’t get it,” said Kang Jin-Ho while taking his foot away from Akinori’s head. Then, he squatted next to the prostrating Japanese. “Stop racking your brain. You don’t even have the right to do that.”

“...M-my apologies, sir.”

“But it’ll be fine now,” said Kang Jin-Ho while baring his fangs in a chilling smirk. “Because you’ll never think this way again.”

Just as confusion filled Akinori’s expression...!

GRAB!

Kang Jin-Ho suddenly grabbed Akinori’s face, then yanked it close to his own. Demonic qi gushed out of his hand and began flooding into Akinori’s face.

“...?!”

Akinori began violently spasming and twitching around.

This pain shooting through his nerves was akin to every cell in his body being set on fire. He wanted to scream, yet his mouth refused to open. He wanted to fight back, yet his body didn’t want to obey his commands.

All he could do against this torrent of pain was to spasm and twist pitifully.

“Look at me.”

Kang Jin-Ho’s bared fangs seemed to get even sharper.

“Look at me. Look at what I am. And remember who you are.”

As the violent pain wrecked his body, Akinori’s eyes opened wider. All he could see was crimson. The whole world was dyed in the color of blood.

He was being dyed in crimson. Everything was getting redder and redder.

A firm mind wouldn’t crumble. It wouldn’t falter or get shaken around. However, Akinori’s mind had already been affected. All it took was a small gap, a nearly invisible fracture, in his mental fortitude.

Kang Jin-Ho dug into that gap.

Everything he did, starting from boarding the Japanese ship, and even the negotiation itself, was basically for this moment.

The mind of a man shaken up by Kang Jin-Ho’s strength, Lee Hyeon-Su’s enticing words, and even the desire hiding deep within his heart... could never be unyielding. It would never be able to stay resolute. And that gap was now being dyed in the color of blood.

Eventually, Akinori’s ‘everything’ had become dyed in crimson.

“Now, answer me,” asked Kang Jin-Ho, his smirk still etched on his face. “Who am I?”

Kang Jin-Ho finally released his grip on Akinori’s face. The Japanese powerfully collapsed to the floor, before slowly pushing himself back up.

“You are... Kang Jin-Ho.”

Akinori’s voice sounded as if it came from a hypnotized man.

His eyes were unfocused, while his slack jaw didn’t want to close.

However, the light returned to his eyes quite quickly. His jaw clamped shut next. His complexion returned to normal in no time at all.

With the utmost reverence a man could display, Akinori bowed deeply toward Kang Jin-Ho.

“And also my master.”

A strange smirk formed on Kang Jin-Ho’s face.

“That’s right. Don’t forget that.”

What he said next sounded like a declaration.

“From this moment on, I’m your master.”

The bizarre and creepy night winds of the ocean blew past the trio on this boat.