Chapter 1222. Organizing (2)

Chapter 1222. Organizing (2)

The meeting ended in a flash.

To stabilize Japan and organize things perfectly in that country, Chang Min would pick the elders and elites of the demon cult and head there. Wiggins would accompany him to create a two-way portal connecting South Korea and Japan. That was the conclusion of this meeting.

“A relatively close distance means we can teleport a small group of people without installing higher-class magic circles. For improved efficiency, we should have mages in both countries opening the portal at the same time, but having such a high-class mage stay in Japan would be a waste for us,” said Wiggins.

Kang Jin-Ho cocked an eyebrow. “Do we even have such mages, though?”

“...Unfortunately, no.”

Wiggins grew somewhat depressed while answering. Regardless of his mood, though, it was good news that a method of quick travel—a teleportation portal—would soon become available. After all, the Martial Assembly was an organization led by a few.

Kang Jin-Ho or other executives hopping over there whenever necessary should be enough to handle most problems.

That didn’t mean everything was perfect, however.

“Don’t you think this arrangement might cause an issue later?” Bang Jin-Hun asked in a worried voice. “I’m not doubting Elder Chang’s abilities. I get that he’s the best man for the job. Even so...”

Bang Jin-Hun sneaked a glance at Chang Min.

“Elder Chang can be extremely cold and discriminatory toward outsiders. With an attitude like that, I wonder if everything will be okay.”

Wiggins coolly nodded. “That’s exactly what we want, Mister Bang.”

“

Huh

? Really?”

“Yes. This situation requires a different approach from how we deal with the Round Table. The Round Table is cooperating with us, but the Japanese waged war against us first, and then surrendered. Since that’s the case, we have no need to consider their circumstances and be nice to them. We mustn’t hesitate to kill anyone who dares to resist and break the limbs of those who object.”

Bang Jin-Hun frowned deeply. “Isn’t that like going a bit overboard?”

“It can’t be helped, at least for the time being. There will be some resistance in the beginning, but once they learn that fighting back is futile, things should calm down considerably. Humans are good at adapting to their new environment, you see?”

Bang Jin-Hun groaned deeply. “Maybe you’re not aware of this because you’re a Brit, but here’s the thing, sir. Ruling over the masses is tough, but being the masses under someone’s rule is just as tough. Our country found itself in tougher, more despairing situations than this one in the past, yet our ancestors never stopped fighting. Humans tend to fight back harder the more suppressed they are, you know?”

“Yes, that’s true. However, Mister Bang? Do you know how Great Britain ruled over so much of the world as an empire until recently?”

“...I’m not sure.”

“It knew the colonies would rebel, so it crushed them.”

“...”

“Trying to establish a system of governance to ensure everlasting rule is where problems begin, Mister Bang. Thankfully, we don’t have to do that.

“No, we should focus more on squeezing out everything while we rule over them. And once we believe there is nothing more left to squeeze out, we pretend to respect the masses’ wishes and hand the territory back. That’s how you make people forget about all the atrocities you’ve committed over the years.”

Lee Hyeon-Su nodded contemplatively. “As expected of history’s worst trash of a country.”

Wiggins tutted. “No one asked for your opinion.”

Lee Hyeon-Su grinned in satisfaction at that response.

“Having said that, I have to admit that there’s a lot to learn from that method, master. Honestly, I fully agree. Ruling over someone for all eternity only happens in dreams. As a matter of fact, no one in humanity’s history has succeeded in doing that. Also, that kind of mindset won’t be efficient enough in the current era.”

“

Mm

...”

“Since it’s not possible to subjugate the whole of Japan, it should end in a brief but violent confrontation. Since that’s the case, we should extract as much profit as possible from Japan while we can.”

Bang Jin-Hun tilted his head. “What’s the plan, then?”

“It’s nothing special, sir,” Lee Hyeon-Su replied with a slimy smirk. “First thing first, we’ll unify Japan’s gumis with Commissioner Akinori as the center. And then, we combine all of their assets, business ventures, and shares in other companies... Before we swallow them all up.”

“...”

Bang Jin-Hun’s jaw fell slightly as he stared at Lee Hyeon-Su.

‘This punk, I knew he was not sane, but this...!’

To think Lee Hyeon-Su could declare something like that without batting an eye?! Even though he declared his intentions to suck out the lifeblood of the Japanese warriors until there was nothing left!

“Oii, isn’t that going too far?”

“Too far, sir?” Lee Hyeon-Su tilted his head in confusion.

Bang Jin-Hun asked weirdly. “Yeah. If you do that, how will those idiots survive?”

“You’re worried about something weird, sir. It’s not like they’ll starve to death, you know?”

Judging from how nonchalant Lee Hyeon-Su sounded, he must be dead serious about this.

Other people might wonder what the problem here was, but Bang Jin-Hun had the experience of running a faction and paying people monthly wages. That was why he understood how grave Lee Hyeon-Su’s plan actually was.

In the end, what made an organization function was money.

Without the income from the businesses he had shares in, Bang Jin-Hun would’ve never been able to compensate the people following him monetarily. Which also meant he’d never have amassed a sizable faction to oppose the Assembly’s leadership at the time.

Loyalty and beliefs could only go so far. How could anyone keep fighting for their beliefs when there was literally no money to put food on the table?

Those who could do that would go down in history as great people, the giants and legends of mankind. Indeed, only those who pulled off feats that ordinary people could never do had the right to become the main characters.

Lee Hyeon-Su’s goal with this plan was to wring the Japanese martial society out until it withered into an empty husk.

“Don’t you think that’s too much? They surrendered, you know?”

Lee Hyeon-Su tilted his head again. “No, sir. What those bastards have done to our country should be criticized as too much instead. We aren’t doing anything inhumane, you know? It’s not like, I dunno, we drafted the powerless populace and dumped them in a war zone or forced countless young women to serve our soldiers as sex slaves, right? “No, all we’re doing is taking their money away. If that’s too much for them, they might as well jump in a lake and kill themselves right now.”

“

Mm

...”

Bang Jin-Ho furrowed his brow while staring intently at Lee Hyeon-Su.

He knew that Lee Hyeon-Su was making valid points. Even then, Bang Jin-Hun couldn’t get over this unwillingness. Doing so would’ve made him the same type of bastard as the Japanese, or at least that’s what his heart said.

Bang Jin-Hun turned his attention to Kang Jin-Ho next. “Sir? What do you think?”

Kang Jin-Ho, who had been thinking about something else until then, looked back at Bang Jin-Hun while making a somewhat pouty face. “You want to know what I think?”

“Yes, sir.”

“

Mm

...” Kang Jin-Ho grunted softly. “I don’t get what the problem is, so... What are you asking me about?”

“Well, it’s true we suffered because of the Japanese. It’s also true that bad blood exists between the two sides. However, if we make the Japs taste their own medicine in full, wouldn’t that make us as much of a bastard as them?”

“How should I know?”

“...I’m sorry?”

Kang Jin-Ho replied unenthusiastically. “I said, I don’t know.”

“...”

Click...

Kang Jin-Ho mouthed a cigarette and lit it up. “Why are you asking me about something that even the people studying history can’t seem to agree on? I’m not as smart as you think I am.”

“No, well, I mean...”

“All I know about this topic is one thing,” Kang Jin-Ho replied with a casual shrug. “Starting a war means you’re trying to kill your opponent. Doesn’t that also mean you better be prepared to deal with the consequences when you lose, no matter how severe they are?”

“...Yes, that’s true.”

“You’ve grown too soft, Bang Jin-Hun.”

Bang Jin-Hun flinched when Kang Jin-Ho tutted loudly.

“If we had lost, you’d be buried in a shallow grave as a headless corpse. Or get dumped in the ocean somewhere. Will you say the same thing while watching the Japanese do whatever they want with South Korea from the netherworld?”

“...No, sir.”

“The magnanimity of the victor is nothing more than arrogance. If your opponent is injured, tear into that wound. That’s the rule of our world. Don’t forget that.”

Bang Jin-Hun’s head faltered in silence.

Kang Jin-Ho glanced at Lee Hyeon-Su next. “Lee Hyeon-Su?”

𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

“Yes, sir?”

“Do what needs to be done. However, make sure to do a thorough job of it. Ransack them and leave nothing behind. Even if it’s a blade of grass, take everything!”

The corners of Lee Hyeon-Su’s lips curled up.

That expression reminded Kang Jin-Ho of Lee Hyeon-Su from the Yeongnam Group days.

‘I’m sure he’ll do a good job.’

Not too many people in this world should be better at tormenting others than Lee Hyeon-Su. With Chang Min and Wiggins assisting him, he should be able to take away all the fruits of Japan’s labor to prepare a sumptuous feast for the Assembly.

Lee Hyeon-Su bowed deeply and continued on with his report.

“We’ll cooperate with the Korean government to deal with the matters within the country, sir. However, please keep it in mind that a few events might require your presence.”

“

Mm

...”

Kang Jin-Ho slowly nodded. This war was finally over. All this annoying mop-up work flooding in was all the proof he needed to feel that.

He glanced at the lone Japanese in this meeting. “Akinori.”

“Yes! Master!”

Akinori shouted, then prostrated on the ground. Everyone’s brow, except Kang Jin-Ho’s, shot up at this display of excessive reverence. It was as if they were watching Chang Min doing his shtick again.

“Elder Chang Min here will assist you. Any issues requiring force, discuss with him. If it’s a political matter, talk with Lee Hyeon-Su.”

“I shall obey, master! Please do not worry! I, Akinori, swear to do everything in my power to offer Japan on a silver platter to you!”

Kang Jin-Ho coolly nodded.

Akinori would never entertain the thought of betraying Kang Jin-Ho as long as his ego was under the latter’s control.

Kang Jin-Ho got lucky this time. Without Akinori already thinking of submitting, which had created a small gap in his psyche just waiting to be exploited, controlling him this way would’ve been nearly impossible.

He only succeeded because his target coincidentally met all the requirements this time. That was all.

Still, he must remember that continuously controlling the mind of an expert on Akinori’s level was not feasible. In the end, his original ego would clash against Kang Jin-Ho’s control, and if that clash was severe enough, Akinori could even end up as a cripple.

‘It doesn’t matter, though.’

Akinori, too, should pay the appropriate price, anyway.

Kang Jin-Ho was not kind enough to smile and forgive anyone who tried to kill him just because they happily wagged their tails and submitted to him. He believed his enemies should pay, without a doubt.

Without a doubt, but...

Lee Hyeon-Su tilted his head. “Sir? Is there something on my face?”

Kang Jin-Ho chuckled slightly. “No. It’s nothing.”

Now that he thought about it, it seemed he really liked Lee Hyeon-Su, probably from the very beginning. Since he was still alive and all!

Kang Jin-Ho glanced at Akinori again. “Do not forget.”

Akinori looked up from his kowtowing position.

“You only live for this purpose. Stop being useful, and it won’t be worth it to keep you alive.”

“I will engrave it on my soul, master!”

Akinori heroically shouted even as cold sweat trickled down his forehead.

Even though Kang Jin-Ho spoke plainly and calmly, the weight behind his words felt heavier than anything in this world. From this moment on, Kang Jin-Ho’s orders would be the same as commands from God that Akinori must risk his life to fulfill.

Determination flooded Akinori’s eyes as he nodded. “I, Akinori, will prove my loyalty, master!”

“Good,” said Kang Jin-Ho, the corners of his lips curling up faintly. “This goes for everyone here, too. For the foreseeable future, we will focus our attention on shoring up the Assembly’s forces and subjugating Japan.”

“Yes, my lord!”

“Leave it to me, master!”

“This Chang Min will! Give his soul and life to fulfill your command!”

Kang Jin-Ho weightily nodded, then ordered Akinori. “Discuss the rest with the others here.”

“Yes, master!”

Kang Jin-Ho stared at Akinori for a few seconds more before getting up to leave. “Anything more to discuss?”

Lee Hyeon-Su shook his head. “For now, sir, that will be all. I think we can have a more in-depth discussion back in the Assembly once we finish cleaning up the aftermath.”

“I see. You help the directors figure out what they need to do.”

“Understood, sir!”

“I’m going back now,” said Kang Jin-Ho.

“Got it, sir. We’ll prepare a car for you.”

“Nah, I’m good.”

“Sorry?”

“I’m supposed to stop by somewhere,” said Kang Jin-Ho while turning his head to stare at the wide open view of the shoreline. “Thankfully, we’ve wrapped this up on time. I had things to do back in the city, you see.”

“Things to do, sir?”

“

Mm

!”

Lee Hyeon-Su curiously asked, “Do you mind if I ask you about what those things are?”

“It’s nothing major, really.”

Kang Jin-Ho chuckled slightly. Nothing major, was it? However...

“I guess they are more important than anything in the world, too. It’s that kind of thing.”

Lee Hyeon-Su tilted his head in confusion. Nothing major, yet also more important than anything? Could it be...

“Sir? Are you going on a date with Madam?”

Kang Jin-Ho wordlessly kicked Lee Hyeon-Su in the butt.

Meanwhile, Akinori witnessing the abuse of a subordinate grew even more determined to fulfill his duties to Kang Jin-Ho.