Chapter 513: Preparing (3)

“You think we can avoid what's coming if we try?” Kang Jin-Ho snarkily asked.

Lee Hyeon-Su clamped his mouth shut. He could've answered that question in dozens of ways. However, none of those answers could perfectly counter Kang Jin-Ho's question.

'Avoid it...? Can we really?'

Lee Hyeon-Su began chewing on his lips. Kang Jin-Ho had accurately pointed out the crux of the matter, didn't he?

'...No, I need to acknowledge it.'

The fear of China was deep-seated in Lee Hyeon-Su's heart. Which was understandable as China was a global powerhouse. A massive nation that South Korea couldn't do much about!

The difference in the surface world's national strength between the two nations was nothing compared to the situation in the martial world. The Crimson King's faction only represented one-third of China, but it'd still be too large and mighty for the whole of South Korea combined to deal with. No, never mind 'deal with', it'd be a one-sided massacre!

There were a couple of reasons why South Korea could still survive in the face of such a threat: firstly, China was split into three factions, and they were busy keeping each other in check. Secondly, China and Japan were keeping each other in check on the global stage.

This abnormally intricate power balance had been the savior of South Korea's peaceful existence until now.

'Indeed, it is intricate...'

Most regular people might feel relieved after learning about this situation. Not Lee Hyeon-Su, though. As a matter of fact, he felt greatly pressured by it instead.

Being intricately balanced implied that even a tiny variable could upset this balance and bring everything down in a heap. The peace everyone had gotten used to could be gone in the blink of an eye by an event no one saw coming.

'No, wait. It's already crumbling down, isn't it?'

That unexpected variable was right before Lee Hyeon-Su's eyes, after all! And its name was Kang Jin-Ho!

This man was in the middle of destroying East Asia's tenuously-maintained balance. As it turned out, the variable was already thrown into the mix.

Nanahoshi-gumi crossed the ocean in the vain hope of conquering South Korea and attacked Kang Jin-Ho. Meanwhile, Europe's Round Table, which Lee Hyeon-Su only heard about in passing rumors, decided to meddle in South Korea's affairs, too. No one would've imagined such events happening before Kang Jin-Ho's appearance.

There could be no doubt about this. Kang Jin-Ho's actions were altering East Asia's balance. However, whether this was a positive or a negative thing was still to be determined.

'Well, I'm guessing it's leaning more toward negative at this stage...'

Lee Hyeon-Su was fundamentally a pessimist. If he had been an optimist and believed things would work out favorably, he wouldn't have driven Kim Seok-Il to ruination and offered his neck to Kang Jin-Ho's blade.

Due to his nature, Lee Hyeon-Su found it impossible not to worry about this situation. Who could confidently say that China or Japan wouldn't suddenly decide to invade South Korea now that the delicate balance was destroyed?

Since the delicate balance teetering on the thin ice sheet broke, there had to be some kind of repercussions. As for what those could be... The answer seemed rather obvious to Lee Hyeon-Su.

“If I'm being honest, Mister Jin-Ho... I'm a bit scared about this, sir.”

Kang Jin-Ho narrowed his eyes. “You're scared?”

“Yes.”

One would need a truckload of courage to say this to Kang Jin-Ho, but Lee Hyeon-Su decided to be honest with his thoughts. Although people would say one must act mature and put up a strong front at all times, Lee Hyeon-Su knew that an attitude like that could potentially worsen the situation instead.

“Mister Jin-Ho, we still don't have the wherewithal to deal with China and Japan. You are... I know you're strong. Maybe strong enough to rival some of the best experts in China and Japan. No, let me revise that. You could very well be stronger than them. However, that is the story for you. None of us are strong enough. Never mind China, we won't even be able to deal with the Japanese.” Lee Hyeon-Su's voice trembled more and more as he spoke. “What I'm trying to do here is… be realistic about our chances, Mister Jin-Ho.”

“I see. Carry on,” said Kang Jin-Ho. He didn't try to stop Lee Hyeon-Su or criticize him. Lee Hyeon-Su was only speaking the truth, after all.

Kang Jin-Ho might not think of himself as someone amazing, but that didn't mean he viewed himself as an impatient idiot who rebuked people for telling the truth.

“Mister Jin-Ho, there is only one realistic way to deal with an enemy you can't fight against. And that is to avoid dealing with them in the first place. South Korea has been religiously adhering to this rule until now,” said Lee Hyeon-Su, his breathing getting heavier and faster. “No, wait. Let me correct that by adding that we didn't have a choice but to adhere to that rule. Because we all know we can't win against China or Japan. However... If we keep clashing against these two nations, we will eventually face the destruction of our country.”

Kang Jin-Ho slowly nodded his head. Lee Hyeon-Su bit his lower lips. His brain told him to stop.

Logically speaking... This was as far as Lee Hyeon-Su could go without getting on Kang Jin-Ho's nerves. A strong man like Kang Jin-Ho was always cursed with capricious whims, after all.

Obviously, it was up to Lee Hyeon-Su to believe a little more in Kang Jin-Ho's restraint, but the risk was also his to bear. The way he saw it, Lee Hyeon-Su's position was similar to a sand castle that could be washed away by even a minor change in Kang Jin-Ho's whims.

Even so, Lee Hyeon-Su raised his head and stared straight into Kang Jin-Ho's eyes. “I don't know how you feel about fighting Vator, Mister Jin-Ho. Maybe it's a trivial matter to you, a light exercise to pass the time, or some such. However, the ripples from this fight will not be trivial at all. As a matter of fact, this fight could signal the destruction of the Martial Assembly. Rationally speaking... We have no choice but to start making gestures of peace to either China or Japan.”

Kang Jin-Ho remained silent as he stared back at Lee Hyeon-Su with narrowed eyes. The silence felt weighty.

Lee Hyeon-Su nervously swallowed his saliva. It was still nerve-racking for him to receive Kang Jin-Ho's withdrawn gaze like this.

Eventually, Kang Jin-Ho broke his self-imposed silence. “If we keep bowing and lowering our heads, we'll soon lose our pride. Even if we are defeated, we won't be the losers if we keep our heads held high until the end. What meaning is there in surviving after discarding our pride? That's not how a martial artist must act.”

Lee Hyeon-Su squeezed his eyes shut. The worst imaginable reply had come out of Kang Jin-Ho's mouth. Since he had said it, there wasn't much Lee Hyeon-Su could do now. “I see, sir. If that is what you want…”

“...Did you think I'd parrot that nonsense?”

Lee Hyeon-Su's eyes flew open. And he saw Kang Jin-Ho smirking again. However, that smirk was noticeably different from the earlier sinister one.

Kang Jin-Ho rubbed his chin while smirking. “Prioritizing survival... Yes, I agree with that.”

Lee Hyeon-Su hadn't been aware of it until now. And that was the simple fact that Kang Jin-Ho was fundamentally different from all the strong people Lee Hyeon-Su knew and had met before.

Things like pride?

'That is useless to me.'

Kang Jin-Ho chuckled softly. If it was necessary, Kang Jin-Ho was fully prepared to lower his head to not just the Crimson King but even to some random punk, too. Insisting on prioritizing his pride above all else, only to taste defeat later would bring untold misery to everyone he knew, after all!

Compared to the most important object called everyone's happiness, Kang Jin-Ho's pride was no better than useless trash.

“If it's beneficial, I don't see why we shouldn't be on friendly terms with the Crimson King's faction,” said Kang Jin-Ho.

Lee Hyeon-Su grew stupefied at this unexpected response from Kang Jin-Ho. If Kang Jin-Ho was being sincere here, it signaled that Lee Hyeon-Su still hadn't fully figured this man out yet!

Just as Lee Hyeon-Su began comparing Kang Jin-Ho to an onion with many layers, the latter suddenly raised his voice again. “However, do you think that will be possible?”

“...I don't follow?”

“Being on friendly terms can only be achieved if both parties see the need for it. So, let me ask you. What would the Crimson King gain by being friendly with us?”

“N-no, hold on, Mister Jin-Ho. The Crimson King already tried to rule South Korea through the Yeongnam Group. Since that’s the case, what if the Assembly fulfills that role instead of the Yeongnam Group? Wouldn’t that mean something? Wouldn’t doing so also protect our authority?”

“That’s not a relationship of equals but submission.”

“...Oh.” Lee Hyeon-Su's expression froze.

“That is what it's like to deal with the strong. Being the weaker of the two but still getting all the benefits you wished for in a trade happens only in fairy tales. The moment you lower your head in the name of building friendship is the moment the domination over you begins.”

Lee Hyeon-Su had no choice but to weightily nod after thinking that it was him, not Kang Jin-Ho, who had been underestimating the world around them.

'Right... In reality, this man has always been like this...!'

On the surface, Kang Jin-Ho seemed to be a reckless man who caused incidents without a plan. However, meticulous planning and calculations hid deep within his every action until now.

Everyone thought it was reckless of Kang Jin-Ho to invade the Yeongnam Group by himself, but the truth was anything but. He actually used that so-called reckless action to minimize the losses to his side.

'Savagery combined with rational thinking, is it...?'

In Lee Hyeon-Su's eyes, Kang Jin-Ho's savagery was not an act. There was no hint of Kang Jin-Ho manufacturing his viciousness to set up the kind of atmosphere he wanted.

Kang Jin-Ho knew he possessed a barbaric side. And he also knew how to fully utilize it.

Lee Hyeon-Su cautiously asked, “Mister Jin-Ho... In that case, what should we do?”

“There is only one way,” Kang Jin-Ho relaxedly explained. “If the weak doesn't want to be bullied by the strong, then it must also become the strong. However, if that's not possible...!”

Suddenly, Kang Jin-Ho's smirk took on a more sinister undertone, his fangs baring in the open.

“You need to show them that even if you're not strong enough to win, you'd still bite and tear their throats out before death takes you away in a battle with everything on the line. Only then would the other side stop acting so casually toward you.”

Lee Hyeon-Su quietly sucked in a deep breath as a deathly chill ran down his spine. He could tell Kang Jin-Ho was dead serious right now.

Lee Hyeon-Su instinctively felt it. He could sense that Kang Jin-Ho had indeed lived his whole life according to this mantra... and that he'd let it continue to guide him into the future!

Even if Lee Hyeon-Su was hypothetically stronger than Kang Jin-Ho, would he be able to underestimate the latter?

'...No, I wouldn't.'

What else could be said about a man who was ready and willing to put to practice what he preached? Whatever the case might be, Lee Hyeon-Su was certain about this one thing: Kang Jin-Ho was a lot more experienced in this kind of situation. Even if Lee Hyeon-Su wasn't sure how that happened.

Since Kang Jin-Ho's past was a total mystery, Lee Hyeon-Su would probably never know.

Lee Hyeon-Su hesitantly licked his parched lips. “In that case...?”

Kang Jin-Ho slowly nodded in affirmation. “Show even a hint of weakness, and your enemies will devour you instantly. I can't speak for the surface world, but the world I've lived in... It is still stuck in that kind of mindset even now. So, the difference here will be whether you get devoured right now or slowly get your lifeblood sucked out of you. Being forced to choose between the two is quite a cruel torture, don't you agree?”

Lee Hyeon-Su began chewing on his lips. He realized that the suggestion he made earlier could be interpreted as him wanting to prolong his life at the cost of getting his lifeblood slowly sucked out of him.

Even if his side acted all gentlemanly, where was the guarantee of the other side doing the same? Expecting the Chinese to act with decorum and civility in a situation like this?

'Don't f*cking make me laugh!'

Lee Hyeon-Su knew almost better than anyone that such a thing was a bullsh*t dream in both historical and societal meanings. However, he still came up with this conciliatory approach as his solution to this situation. His judgment must've been affected by the overwhelming might of the Chinese.

Lee Hyeon-Su got up and bowed deeply at Kang Jin-Ho. “My apologies, sir. I was being stupid here.”

“No, stop,” Kang Jin-Ho casually muttered.

However, his voice still emitted inexplicable pressure, forcing Lee Hyeon-Su to sit back down, his eyes wide open in surprise.

Kang Jin-Ho continued to speak. “You can't beat yourself up just yet. After all, it's too early to tell who is right, anyway. However, in the end, this is all a conjecture, an armchair argument between two men. No one can predict how the reality will play out.”

“...Yes, you're correct.”

In other words, Lee Hyeon-Su's suggestion could be correct, too. It was just that Kang Jin-Ho's opinion sounded cool at this moment, and that was about it. There could be more than one answer, after all. And there was also no guarantee that the seemingly correct answer would stay that way.

“In that case... What will be your first course of action, Mister Jin-Ho?”

Kang Jin-Ho smirked insidiously. “I'll show them what it means to mess with me.”

Lee Hyeon-Su shuddered at that smirk. Yes, this had to be the way.

Once they saw the truth, their thoughts would have to change. Anyone who witnessed

that

Kang Jin-Ho would do the same. Even if it was the Crimson King!

This bizarre feeling enveloped Lee Hyeon-Su, making him shudder even more. The knowledge that one day, the powerful and tyrannical nation called China would quiver in dread at the mere mention of Kang Jin-Ho's name sent an indescribable chill down Lee Hyeon-Su's spine, and euphoria quickly filled up his brain.

Kang Jin-Ho narrowed his eyes. “And we will need to grow much stronger, too.”

Lee Hyeon-Su grinned brightly. “Yes. Of course...!”

At this very moment, another course for their future was set in motion.